When Sunshine Ends and Rain Pours Heavy
by caramelapples
Summary: Complications arise between the progression of Adama and Roslin's growing relationship.
1. Beginnings

Chapter 1

Bill Adama waited outside as President Roslin spoke with the press. He wasn't always 'Admiral Adama' though. Earlier just now, about 20 minutes ago, the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol announced that Commander William Adama was now Admiral Adama. He was shocked. He never expected it but he was glad about it. Then he thought about the President, Laura Roslin. He thought about her often although their relationship was still President and Admiral. Friends maybe. The closest they had been together was on Colonial Day party when she had announced Gaius Baltar, as the elected vice president and Bill had asked her to dance with him which she agreed to.

It was then that he noticed she was beautiful. He had never actually given her looks much thought. Appearance yes, but not her looks. They had started dancing at an arm's length but the longer they danced, the closer the stayed to each other. She had given him her small shy smile which he had often seen and _liked_. He had felt something. He didn't know what but it made his heart beat faster. He wondered if she had felt it too.

He snapped back from his thoughts.

"Admiral." She was walking towards him. She smiled slightly.

"Madam President." He acknowledged.

"So," she said. "What do you think?" she asked.

"I don't really know what I think," he said truthfully. "All I can say is _thank you._" He took a step closer and caught her gaze; her eyes were pools of jaded green.

She smiled again. "I _know _you would perform your duties very well, Admiral." _Bill_, she silently called him by his first name. She didn't dare to say it out loud.

Without thinking, he bent down a little and gave her a simple affectionate kiss on the lips. She was pleasantly surprised and returned the kiss gently with a little hesitation; one hand placed one his strong chest. It had been so long since a man had kissed her, she didn't know if it was right. She was blushing furiously when the moment ended and she fought to control her racing pulse. The man whom she had intensely disliked during the early stages of their acquaintance which was after the attack of the cylons on Caprica had become the man she was attracted to but she kept it to herself. She had felt that way since she had danced with him on Colonial Day. But now that he had kissed her, surely he must feel something for her.

_Or was it just to thank me for promoting him, _she wondered.

They stood in silence gazing at each other, their minds pondering what just happened between the both of them.

Finally, she broke the silence. "I think I should be returning to Colonial One. I still have reports to go through." She smiled at him again. The smile he liked. "Admiral," she nodded.

"Madam President."

She turned and started walking away.

Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë

Bill allowed his mind to wander through the memory of what happened between the both of them as he had a quiet time alone in his quarters. Admiral and President. It wasn't much, the kiss, but it was enough to reinforce the attraction that the both of them obviously felt. He knew she had felt it too. _She had returned his kiss. _

He hadn't always liked her though. They had frequently clashed in opinions of matters regarding the fleet. She was stubborn and strong headed and it annoyed him that she was a woman. And he'd pretty much always made the decisions. President Adar never questioned him. But then, it was different then. They were on Caprica. There weren't any cylon attacks to worry about then. It was President Laura Roslin now. And Laura Roslin was a strong woman. There were cylon attacks now and then, and thousands of civilian lives depended on the everyday decisions the President and Admiral made. The Fleet came before anything else. But they slowly became friends as they understood each other's position and decisions that had to be made. The only people in the Fleet they could relate to was each other because of the heavy responsibilities they both carried. An attraction slowly developed but they ignored it.

_It wasn't professional, _they both thought.

Laura was thinking of the same thing as Bill on the way back to Colonial One and back in her quarters. A warm feeling enveloped her body as she remembered what happened. She liked it but at the same time, she fought to suppress the feeling. Everything that was happening between them was happening totally at the wrong time. Wrong place.

"Madam President," one of her aides said coming through the hatch. "You have a call from Galactica. It's Admiral Adama."

_Bill. Why was he calling?_

"Thank you. Put him through."

The aid nodded and put the admiral through to the President's line. She picked up the phone. "Hello, Admiral," she said.

"Madam President. I have a few reports here that I think we should discuss," he said.

Just hearing his voice made the feelings she fought so hard to suppress return again. "All right, Bi- uh-Admiral. Is it urgent?"

"No," he replied. "Don't worry, it isn't urgent. But perhaps we could discuss it over dinner tonight?" he asked, holding his breath and waiting for her answer which was hopefully a yes.

_Dinner? _she thought. "All right. Why not. "

Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë

Laura walked round the corner to find herself in front of Bill's quarters. She was wearing a dress. She had been wearing suits since she became President and she would use any excuse she had to wear something different, in this case, dinner with the Admiral. But subconsciously, she had worn the pretty black sleeveless dress for him. She even made an effort to wear a little make up-lipstick and a tint of colour on her cheeks.

She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. He had never seen her dressed up before and she was nervous thinking about what he would think of her appearance. _Relax Laura_, she told herself. She knocked on the hatch. Moments later, Bill opened the hatch and greeted her, motioning for her to go in.

She looked so different-so beautiful. He couldn't keep his eyes off her as she walked inside. The bottom of her dress swaying to an inner rhythm.

_Where are the reports?_ Laura thought, looking around. Then it dawned on her that he might've used it as an excuse to get her over to his place. But he could've just asked her straightforwardly and she still would've come. She decided not to ask about them.

"Have a seat," Bill said. She sat on the chair and took a sip of ambrosia that he offered her. Dinner was already on the table and he sat right across her. He didn't mention the alleged reports that they were supposedly going to discuss.

"How was your day as Admiral?" she asked him.

"It was the same as any other day. Work." He was watching her move, taking her first bite of the food.

"Delicious," she said, chewing slowly.

"I'm glad you like it." He was glad that she bothered to dress up for this. She didn't seem like the President. She was more like Laura Roslin, a beautiful woman. He wanted to talk about what happened between them earlier that day. But he didn't know if she did. He needed to know what it meant to her.

"Madam President," he started. "When I-" he paused, lost for words. He didn't know what to say. _How_ to say it.

She let her gaze settle on him. "When you…" she hesitated. "When you _kissed _me?" She felt blood rushing to her cheekbones. "Is that what you wanted to say?"

He caught her gaze and locked on it. "When I kissed you…" he said. "Did you _feel _anything?" He had to know.

"You mean other than your lips?" she asked jokingly, trying to ease the rising tension. She laughed lamely. He smiled at her. _He's serious_, she thought. She couldn't possibly convey how she felt to him. It was too awkward. And yet, she wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to be in his embrace. "Admiral," she said softly. It was becoming increasingly difficult to speak without becoming emotional.

"Did you _feel _anything?" he repeated his question.

Laura felt her heartbeat quicken. "Yes," she said, breaking the gaze and opted to look at her glass of ambrosia instead. "I felt something."

Bill felt a wave of relief wash over him. _So she did feel something. _

They sat in silence each finishing their meal. Wasting wasn't advisable. Not when supplies weren't in abundance. Laura stood up and went over to the couch taking her glass of unfinished ambrosia with her. Bill followed her.

She took a sip of the drink and set in on the table. She turned to face him. "I _care _for you, Bill." _Even though he had threw her into the brig._ Realizing that she had used his first name, she corrected herself. "I'm sorry. I mean Admiral…"

Bill had closed in and planted his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in surprise but she didn't protest. She gave in wholeheartedly and returned his kisses - passionate and desperate. They were driven by all the pent up tension that had collected little by little since they danced together on Colonial Day.

Then, just as quickly as it began, Bill pulled away gasping for air. She giggled a little and moved in to kiss him again but this time, he resisted her by pushing her away. She looked at him hurtfully. Was there something wrong? Was it because she was not what he expected? _Less than what he expected?_

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice husky. "I can't. I keep on thinking about how you're _sick_." He looked away.

"What?" she asked, unbelieving.

"I don't know really. I mean, you're _dying_."

"And that is a problem?" she asked quietly although it was more of a statement.

"Yes-no," he said without looking at her.

"Well," she said, her voice threatening to break into a sob. "I suppose I better go now." She quickly stood up and smoothened her dress. _Don't lose it Laura_, she told herself in her mind. _Don't cry! _she practically screamed in her mind. _You're better than this._

"It's been wonderful, this dinner," she forced herself to say. "Thank you," she said before leaving his quarters.

On the way back to Colonial One, Laura sat quietly, clenching her fists on her lap. The hurt she felt was real, almost physical, and it travelled in her body right until the soles of her feet. _He didn't want to touch her because she was sick. _

The moment she stepped off the Raptor, she already had her presidential mask on and her lips portrayed a tight smile. All traces of any emotion was well disguised. When she reached her quarters, she went in and shut the hatch. Making sure that all was safe and that she was alone, she let her emotions tumble out of her, her tears spilling down her face. She cried quietly without a sound. She went through the curtains that separated her sleeping place and her office. She curled herself up onto her bed and cried into the pillow, just like she had when Bill threw and locked her up in the brig.

Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë

After what happened in Bill's place, they still saw each other but not frequently, mostly because she was avoiding him. Official meetings couldn't be avoided; neither could crises that were bound to occur. But Laura always avoided making eye contact with Bill, addressing him only when it was necessary. She had to work hard to focus during the meetings. A lump seemed to always form in her throat when she saw him. She didn't blame him for her hurt. She saw it as her problem. _She was the one who was sick, not him. He wouldn't start a relationship with someone who was dying. It wasn't his fault. _He had tried to call her but she'd always talk to him in a cool and collected manner, nothing to indicate that she was going to talk about affairs of the heart. He didn't know how hard she worked to keep her voice like that. So detached.

Bill hadn't really meant it the way it sounded. He didn't have a problem with her or with her illness. He was afraid that he would hurt her. She seemed so fragile, she was dying and he didn't think it was right for him to lay a hand on her, afraid that he might hurt her, break her in any way. He had the feeling that she was like glass, and that she had to be treated gently. She couldn't be dropped for fear she would shatter into a thousand tiny pieces.

But he didn't know how to tell her how he really felt and he had _allowed_ her to leave, probably with the impression that he didn't want to touch her because she was sick. _Oh gods…_ He had seen the way she looked at him when he resisted her. The hurt in her eyes were so real and painful. Just like the look she gave him when he had locked her up. He had been surprised when she had reconciled with him in Kobol, surprised that she didn't hate him _forever. _Then it occurred to him that he wasn't attracted to her. He _loved _her. He had told himself that he returned to Kobol to get Starbuck and Apollo. That was partly true. He _did _return to get them. _And _Laura. He loved her and the mere thought that she was dying suffocated him. How long did she have, he wondered. When would it be when she would be confined to sickbay, weak and drained of life.

He wasn't going to lose her. He was determined to stay with her until her last breath which was hopefully a long time to come. So when phone calls didn't seem to indicate a change in their deteriorating relationship, Bill decided to just see her face to face.

Laura was unprepared to see him. He had dropped by unannounced and she was caught of guard.

"Madam President," he said after the aide had left and closed the hatch.

"Admiral," she nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed when she saw his face. "This is a surprise. How can I assist you?" she said, struggling to sound detached. _Why come here? Why come here **now**?_ _Didn't he know how painful it was for her to see him?_

"We need to talk. I need to explain things."

"If this is about _that _night, don't worry about it," she said, not looking up from the documents on her table. "I-I understand."

"No, you don't understand. I didn't mean it like that."

This time she looked up, removing her glasses. "What do I not understand? If you don't want to be involved with me which was pretty obvious, it's ok. You don't have to explain _why._"

"That's not it," he said. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"_Hurt me?_" That was unexpected. Did that mean he wasn't interested in a relationship? That he just wanted it to be a one night stand kind of thing? She forced herself to not think of that possibility.

"Yes. I mean I was afraid I would hurt you if I laid a hand on you. I felt like I needed to protect you." There. He'd said it.

"You wanted to protect me?" Her voice had suddenly become warm, not detached like before. "Really?" _That was it? _

He nodded.

She stood up and left her glasses on her desk, walking towards him.

"Well, you're sick and I thought it wouldn't be right to…_you know_," he continued. She was standing in front of him, gazing intently at him. "I'm sorry, Laura."

He had called her by her first name and she realized how much she really missed being called that instead of 'Madam President' or 'ma'am' all the time. She gazed into his cobalt blue eyes. She wanted to be in his embrace, for him to caress her gently. She couldn't hold back any longer and touched his face with her slender fingers. She had ached to tell him how much she loved him all this time but she wasn't sure if he felt the same. And if he didn't, she wasn't sure if she could bare working with him.

She hadn't expected to fall in love with this man, _especially_ this man. She had absolutely abhorred him in the beginning. And when he had thrown her in the brig, she didn't despise him or felt anger towards him. Instead, she felt _hurt_. She was smart enough to know that the only reason she was hurt and not anything else was because she cared for him. _Loved him even._ But she had denied it to herself. _You don't love him, Laura_, she had told herself every time she found herself starting to think of him. _You **can't** love him. He locked you up and staged a coup. _When it had failed to stop the increasingly frequent images of him invading her mind, she resorted to telling herself that he had no feelings for her whatsoever. _He doesn't love you, Laura. That's **why **he locked you up. He hates you and thinks you're incapable of running a government. _But evidently, that didn't work to banish her feelings for him either for if it did, they wouldn't be right there, right now in her office.

He held her hand against his face. Then he kissed it, breathing in the sweet scent of her skin.

"You _do _know that I love you, right?" she said softly, smiling.

He responded by pulling her close to him and hugged her tightly, breathing in the intoxicating smell of her burgundy hair. That was enough. She didn't need him to profess his undying love for her. All she needed was a sign that he felt the same way as she did. And he gave her exactly what she needed. Standing in the middle of her small office, they hugged

She had never felt so happy in her life before. They loved each other and that was all they both needed.

To be continued...


	2. Arguments

Chapter 2

She reacted, although not the way he wanted, she reacted. He had expected her to be embarrassed, apologetic but definitely not angry. Now she was standing across him and staring at him, her cheeks flushed and eyes flashing with anger.

"Get out of my office," she said, calmly. "Now!"

Bill stared intently at her. "You will not run away from your actions, _Madam President_," he said coldly.

"What actions?! I do not need to explain myself to you! You have no right to question me or my actions, whatever they might be, Admiral. Whatever I did, I had my reasons."

"Ah… just like when you had your reasons for sleeping with me, Madam President? Just so you could use me or manipulate me to fit into one of your schemes? You're just a politician and I never cared for politicians. I hate them."

He noticed her sharp intake of breath but she wouldn't crack. The politician's mask was still firmly in place. "I would be surprised if you didn't, Admiral," she said, her voice not betraying anything she might be feeling. "And what more when the politician in question is me. You've made that known before. I am after all just a schoolteacher."

Laura's calmness was frustrating him. Why wouldn't she ever admit she was wrong? "So you don't deny using sex to manipulate me? I would have thought no less of you, madam president," he said, sarcastically.

"If that is what you think," she said, her voice not as stable as before. She felt like she would burst out crying soon and that is not one desirable scene . Not in front of him. If he wanted to be a stubborn prick so be it. She had not the strength to argue anymore. "I can't do or say anything that would make you think otherwise. But just to let you know, Admiral, I would never have used what happened to hurt you," she said, barely a whisper. "I thought it meant something but if I knew that it would be something you'd use against me, I wouldn't have slept with you." she sounded surprisingly hurt. Tears were brimming in her eyes. She closed her eyes and willed them away.

He stood and watched her. If she thought that tears could soften him up, she must have been a fool. "I thought it was something until Adar came up. That you'd readily frak a married man." truth be told, he was jealous-jealous that another man had touched her and she'd let him -a married man. He had gone over to Colonial One to ask about it but the thought of Richard Adar, former President of the Twelve Colonies, touching Laura made him lose his temper and she'd ask him to get out. But Bill wasn't leaving until he was sure what kind of woman she was.

"I have said it before and I will say it again. You don't have a right to question me or my actions. More so when it's my personal life you're talking about."

"Pray, do tell, did you also sleep with Zarek? Is that how you got his support to Kobol?"

"No I didn't, Admiral," she gave him a steely stare. "It seemed that he was on my side because he chose to be. Not because I frakked him. But if I did, why would you care? You locked me up."

"I'm sorry I suggested that," he said a little remorsefully.

"Are you now? You seem to have no problem thinking I was so…" she paused, searching for a word and finding it. "Cheap," she said, bitterly.

He was surprised at the word she used. "I don't think you're cheap, Laura."

After all the formalities, she looked at him when she heard her name from his lips. "Well, you were indicating that I _was _throughout the whole time you were here. And honestly, I don't care." She felt a slow throb in her lower abdomen and winced. Ignoring it, she levelled her gaze at him. "I-" Just as sudden as it came, it became a sharp searing pain and she bent over her desk, her hand clutching her stomach. The glass of water that had been ignored on her desk fell and crashed on the carpet.

"Laura!" he yelled and went over to her side in a split second. "Oh gods… What's wrong?" She let out a groan. "What is it?!" panic entering his voice.

She shook her head. Tears were streaming down her face. The pain was etched all over her face. "Bill?" She was reduced into whimpers as the pain became sharper tearing through her abdomen and her legs gave way.

"Billy!" he shouted. "It's okay, I'm here," he soothed her , holding her in an embrace.

The young aide came rushing in. He visibly paled when he realised how much pain the President was in. "Call Cottle! We need to get her medical attention fast!" Bill commanded as Billy rushed for the comm. unit.

"It's okay," Bill said, stroking her hair. "It's going to be all right." _What if Baltar's cure wasn't that perfect? It was cylon blood for gods' sake. _he remembered the feel of her in his arms for the first and only time after they'd made love. She had just been discharged from sickbay for a week or so, perfectly healthy, radiant and glowing with beauty. She had gone over to the Galactica to thank him for being there when she needed him most. That was when it happened. What they couldn't do when she was so very sick and fragile, they did it then in his quarters-passionate, emotional and meaning the world to them. He shuddered to think that the cancer was back. _No, please Lords of Kobol, don't let the cancer be back… Don't take my angel away, _he prayed although he wasn't religious, although he didn't believe in the gods. If she died, the last thing they'd shared between them would be a heated argument where he had said things _just _to hurt her. How could he even hurt her? Much less think of hurting her and yet he did, he'd seen her eyes. So deep and raw was her hurt. He hated himself at the moment.

Laura clung onto him like he was her life force, her face pressed against his shoulder.

"Just hold on," he said. "_Please._"

She was trembling and crying. She was afraid , like him, that the cancer was back and had _spread._ The pain wasn't getting much better. In fact, it was getting worse by the minute. Then, just as sudden as that, she stopped moving.

"Laura?" Bill shook her gently. "_Laura!_" His voice was a strangled whisper. Only then did he realise that she was no longer conscious. "Please don't…" He couldn't bring himself to say it. How could he when the mere thought of her not being _there_ when he turned made him want to throw up. "Please be strong…"

_To be continued…_


	3. A Little Sunshine

Chapter 3

Cottle ordered the nurse to a task as the cigarette he was smoking dangled from the corner of his mouth. Slow perspiration appeared on his forehead. Bill shot a look at the sleeping form of the President of the Twelve Colonies. She was breathing slowly, and there was a serene look about her. She was no longer in danger, Cottle had said. _What was the danger? _

"She lost a lot of blood," the doctor stated.

"What _happened?_" Bill asked, hoping that it wasn't the cancer. "What made that happen?"

Bill remembered only less than half an hour ago, she had passed out from the pain she was feeling. Then out of nowhere, a rather large stain of blood had started to form on the carpet.

"She almost suffered a miscarriage."

Alarm bells started to sound off in Bill's head. _A miscarriage?! That would mean… _"Laura's pregnant?!" He felt a little nauseous and took a deep breath. And memories of the way he treated her ravaged his body and senses with guilt.

A wry smile appeared on Cottle's lips. He didn't know if he should laugh at the fleet Admiral's expression or not. "Yes. And I'm sure it was _you _who got her all knocked up."

"But is that possible? I mean isn't she too _old?_" Bill started to question. "_How?_"

"The cylon blood which we injected her with not only cured her from the cancer. It repaired whatever that was wrong with her body, her organs. In this case, her reproductive system," Cottle paused, allowing Bill to absorb the information. "So not only she's healthier, she's more _fertile._" He watched amusedly as Bill choked. "I guess I forgot to talk to our president about contraceptives, not that she would admit to needing it." Cottle allowed himself to smile. _Stubborn young lady._

"It was _once_," Bill said, feeling the need to explain although no explanation was required of him.

Ignoring Bill's comment, Cottle went on. "I would suggest she lessen her workload and concentrate on becoming a mother. Now that she's out of danger, she needs to know that she's expecting a brand new bundle of joy."

"She doesn't know?"

"I think it's too early in the stages of pregnancy for any signs to show yet. By that I mean vomiting and not feeling well. But I could be wrong. It varies in different women. She's only about over one month along. If she didn't have this near miscarriage, I would say we wouldn't have known until next month or so," Cottle explained. "But we'll wait until she wakes up. She needs her rest."

A dozen thoughts or so swam in Bill's mind as he glanced at her. She was whole and beautiful. _And he was going to be a father!_ He mentally made a note to make up for his earlier behaviour towards her. He could be a real idiot sometimes. "Can I go to her?"

"As long as you don't wake her. Now if you don't mind, I have other patients to tend to," Cottle said and walked away, smiling to himself.

"You gave me a scare there just now you know," he muttered to her, knowing that she couldn't hear him. He pulled the curtains shut so that the medical staff outside couldn't see them. He went to pull a chair and sat down beside her. Gently, he arranged her soft hair to frame her beautiful face. He shot a furtive glance at her abdomen covered by the blanket. A feeling of pride formed in his throat. He remembered the feeling well, the same one he had felt when Caroline told him she was pregnant. He had never thought he would ever feel it again, more so when the woman carrying his child was a woman he had so intensely disliked when he had first met her.

She stirred a little and turned to her side, facing him, a few stray locks of hair falling over her face. As though she could sense another person near her even though she was asleep, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled when her drowsy mind registered who the other person was. "Bill?" she said, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Hello there," he said warmly. "You scared me just now."

"Wha- " she seemed momentarily confused. "Oh…" realization dawned on her. "What happened to me?" she asked, wearily. She cringed at the thought that it was her cancer. She sensed that he was a bit apprehensive in telling her the answer to her question. "Am I sick again?" she asked quietly.

"Heavens no!" he exclaimed.

She let out a relieved sigh. Then her expression became serious again. "Then what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you," he said and took her hand in his. "You're going to have to add a number on that whiteboard of yours in eight months time."

She stared at him-her eyes were as big as saucers and her lips were parted.

"You're going to have a baby, Laura," he told her and watched her eyes water.

"Really?" she whispered. _A baby…_

"Yes," he said. "You almost lost the baby but Cottle said you're out of danger now. You were bleeding after you passed out."

"I'm sorry. It was so painful," she said slowly. Then she remembered what their conversation was before all this happened. Did he think it was someone else's child? She didn't think she could bear it if he thought she cheated. "It's your baby, Bill," she told him, holding her breath. "_Please believe me…_"

"_Gods _Laura, I never doubted that-" he said but then he realized what made her think that way. "I'm sorry about the things I said to you," he said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was-" he paused and gazed at her. "I was angry that Adar touched you…"

"You were jealous?" she asked, her tone playful and light.

"Maybe a little…" he said. The fleet Admiral was not to be made looking like a foolish jealous man. She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe a lot," he confessed, giving up. He had, for a moment, forgotten the power she wielded over him. "The point is I'm sorry," he said quickly.

"I know you didn't mean it-you were angry," she said, smiling. "And jealous," she said, feeling the need to emphasize on the prove of his feelings towards her.

He placed a hand on her stomach. "I love you," he said, stroking her belly gently.

That was when the Galactica decided to do a back flip and a somersault-or at least that was what it seemed like to Laura. She was knocked of her bed and landed on the cold floor. The lights went out and she found herself in total darkness. "Bill?" she stammered, sitting up and feeling around for something to grab on. "Laura?" She heard his voice.

"Bill! Where are you?! What happened?!"

"Don't panic. Stay where you are!"

She heard him move through the mess of medical machines. "Laura," he said and she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Are you hurt?" he asked her, pushing her hair from her face.

"No." He held her arm and helped her onto her feet. She felt a little dizzy as a result of losing a little too much blood. Years of training in the military had him accustomed to the dark. "Good," he said as they slowly made their way out from the cubicle where they had been.

"Do you think that we've been attacked?" Laura asked, a little breathlessly.

"That was what I was thinking," he said and tightened his grip on her arm to support her and felt her clung tighter onto his arm.

_To be continued…_


	4. Old Reunions

Chapter 4

The emergency lights came on minutes after the blackout. Medical equipment were thrown all over the place. Some of the medical staff were unconscious on the floor. Bill never once let go of Laura's hand as they navigated their way through the mess that was on the floor. Laura silently prayed that the cylons hadn't attacked them. Not now-not when everything seemed to have settled down, for a while at least-not when she was going to be a mother soon. What would the press think about her pregnancy, she wondered. Then she realized that she had something else to worry about-the press. She looked up and saw Cottle coming towards them.

"Is she hurt?" he asked Bill, referring to Laura. He wore a frown on his face.

Laura rolled her eyes. "I'm here, Jack. You can ask me, you know."

"Yes, but I trust the Admiral better in matters regarding your health, young lady. Not to mention you have to take care of someone else now."

The other staff were rushing about, helping the unconscious and salvaging whatever equipment they could.

"I think you should find out what happened. I'm sure you're needed in CIC," Laura said to Bill. "I'm not-" he started to protest but she interrupted him. "I'll be fine. Now, go," she said gently. He muttered something that sounded like "I'll come back later," and left unwillingly.

"The baby's another reason why you two should get married," Cottle muttered out, loud enough for Laura to hear and she shot him an annoyed glare.

* * *

"Is the President all right? I heard she was in sickbay," Saul Tigh asked Bill when he finally made it to CIC. "You were with her right?"

"She's fine," Bill said. "So what the frak happened?"

"It was a lone Raider," Saul said. "We detected several Raiders and we launched the Vipers. We managed to send them all to hell before they could jump and reveal our the Fleet's position except for one. Starbuck made a chase and it decided to make some damage before it said bye bye-"

"Let me guess, it crashed itself into us?"

"Exactly. Exterior damage was at it's minimum but the impact might have caused some parts near the collision point to receive shockwaves," Saul continued. "Sickbay was affected, I presume?"

Bill nodded . "Frakking toasters," he muttered, thinking of how near Laura was to danger.

"So why was the President sent to sickbay? Is it her cancer again?"

"No it wasn't her cancer. Allergies," Bill lied.

"Right," Saul said, clearly not buying it but decided against asking deeper.

"Admiral, we have a call from the Pegasus. It's Commander Adama."

Bill looked at the interrupting petty officer. "Put him through, thank you," he said. The officer nodded and scurried off.

"Do you think the Pegasus has been hit too?" Saul asked.

"I don't think so," Bill said. "Sir?" came Lee's voice through the comm. unit as Bill picked it up.

"Yes, Commander," Bill said. "Is the Pegasus damaged?"

"No," Lee replied. "Dad-"

Bill was surprised at the personal tone of his son's voice. "Yes?"

"You need to meet someone."

Bill was confused. "Who?"

"I have sent her to the Galactica. The Raptor should be arriving now. You should go and see her."

"Who is 'her'?" Bill asked, somewhat annoyed.

"She would explain everything to you, dad." Lee let his voice drop.

"All right," Bill said and hung up.

* * *

Bill strode briskly and frowned. He was irritated that Lee wouldn't just tell him who the woman was. He wanted to go down to sickbay. He wanted to go to Laura, to stay with her and their unborn child. He saw the Raptor that just arrived and went up to it. _Whoever it is, this better be important._

The heard the hiss as the hatch opened and waited impatiently for 'her' to come out. Finally, she did and Bill felt as though he could pass out anytime soon.

"Bill?" she said softly-barely a whisper. "Oh gods… it's you…"

Bill stood frozen and speechless as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "My gods Anne…" he finally managed. "I thought you were gone when the cylons attacked… I never thought that you were… oh gods."

"I know!" she said. "Even I thought I was dead until I woke up and I was on board a ship… Is this a dream?" She pulled away gently, tears in her eyes. "I never thought I would see you again… When Admiral Cain was killed and I heard that the new Commander was Lee, I _had_ to see him! It took me a while to get to see him. When I did and when he told me that you were the Admiral and on Galactica, you can't imagine how happy I was. He sent me here straight away… Gods I love you," she said and kissed him.

_Anne is alive_. Bill still felt a little light-headed after the initial shock. She explained how she volunteered as medical aid to avoid being left behind by Cain. She explained how much she missed him. All Bill could do was to listen quietly. She was _still _his wife after all. He couldn't just forget she existed. And he _didn't._ He accepted that she was dead-apparently-and allowed himself to live again, to love again, to love _Laura._ Now that she _wasn't _dead after all…

"Bill, are you listening to me?"

"What-ah-I'm sorry. I was thinking."

Anne smiled at him. "I've never been in your quarters on board Galactica before," she commented. "It's a lovely place." She stood up and walked over to his bookshelves. "I've missed you terribly."

"I have to tell you something, Anne," Bill said. He was going to tell her about Laura. He had to. "When I thought you were dead, I met someone." He waited for the tears that were bound to accompany the impending outburst. To his surprise, none came.

"Who is she?" Anne asked.

"You're not going to-"

"Cry? No, Bill." She laughed a little. "You thought I was dead. It wasn't your fault. Tell me who she is."

"Laura Roslin." Somehow, he said her name proudly. Yes, he was proud of _his Laura._ He wished that he could shout her name from the rooftops. Someday, he decided, he would.

"As in _President Laura Roslin?_" Anne asked. Obviously, she didn't expect her. Anyone but _her._

"Yes," Bill said, watching the woman who was his wife.

"Beautiful woman."

Bill finally heard the twinge of jealousy in her voice that was absent before.

"Do you love her?" Anne asked. "Do you love _me?_"

Bill kept silent. His feelings were a mess. _Yes, _he loved Laura. Did he love Anne? He couldn't decide. He couldn't explain _what _he felt. When he saw her, he was happy. Very happy that she was alive. She was his wife. She still is. He loved her very much before the cylons came. But did being happy to find that she was alive mean that he loved her?

"Laura's going to have my baby," Bill decided to say.

"That is- wow… That means you're not leaving her. You _can't," _she said. Thinking a little, she took a deep breath and went over to him, settling down beside him. She took his hand and brought it to her face. "I love you," she said. He smiled warmly at her. He was happy she was back. Yet, he felt guilty that he was with her and not Laura. "Don't worry. Somehow, we'll make this work."

Bill could only smile.

* * *

Laura sat leaned on her bed. The mess of machines on the floor had been, miraculously, cleaned up and everything seemed like it hadn't been moved. The medical staff was more efficient in cleaning than her aides in cleaning her office. She had been waiting for Bill to come but he still hadn't shown up. He was most probably still busy. She prayed that everything was all right. Then she fell asleep still hoping that he would come by later. Only the Gods knew how much she loved Bill Adama.

_To be continued…_


	5. Meeting Enemies

Chapter 5

Laura awoke to find Bill by her sitting by her side and she smiled. She knew he would come and was glad she wasn't wrong. "Have you been sitting there for a long time?" she asked, sleepily.

"Not really," he said and reached out to touch her soft cheeks. "But I have been watching you," he continued. "Beautiful."

She blushed and smiled shyly. "So what happened?"

He proceeded to explain everything to her.

"So what took you so long?" she asked light-heartedly.

"There's something I need to tell you," he said and swallowed. He didn't know what she would think-how she would react.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

"My wife is not dead, Laura."

"Caroline? I thought she was your ex-wife," she asked, confused.

"No, my second wife. _Anne._ She was onboard the Pegasus and it took some time for her to be able to talk to Lee personally and when she did, Lee sent her over. That was why I took so _long_," he explained.

Laura felt the wind leave her lungs and struggled to take another breath. She felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes stinging. Was he going to leave her? Again she was the _other _woman. The _other woman._ "I suppose you're leaving me," she said, slowly, afraid that her voice would break.

"No, Laura," he said and held her hand. She hand was cold, he thought. "I'm _not _leaving you."

"Does she know about me… Our baby?" she asked. Her voice was small now. Could she bear with more hiding?

"Yes, I told her. She's…" he paused, searching for the right word. "She's understanding."

"_Understanding?_" She swallowed. "So she's leaving?" Maybe it was going to be okay after all. Maybe they were still going to be happy after all. There was hope.

"No." It was a single word but it spoke volumes. She quickly pulled her hand from his grasp.

Just like that, all hope was gone. She _was _going to be the other woman. She was going to have to _share _him. _Anne is his wife. I'm just the other woman-the mistress._ She blinked. "Will she be staying with you on the Galactica?" She was going to cry and she knew it.

"Yes, but I won't be sharing a bed with her if that's what you're worried about. I love you," he said. "And I would never leave you."

Somewhere at the back of her mind, other matters were starting to bother her. Matters that only the President of the Twelve Colonies will be bothered about. What was the press going to think, she wondered. _I'm pregnant with a married man's child. _It was entirely too damaging to her image. The Quorum would question her ability and morals. She would seem _immoral._

"I can't do this," she said, firmly.

"_What _do you mean?" he asked. He was starting to worry. She wasn't taking it well and he was afraid that if she got upset, she might lose the baby for real this time.

"I'm sorry, I can't, Bill," she said. And looked up to see a woman coming in through the curtains. She fought the urge to jump out of bed and strangle that woman who was most probably Anne. _Anne._ _Strangle her for being alive, for ruining every frakking thing! _Bill followed her gaze.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Anne." She walked over to the bed and smiled at Laura. Again Laura fought the urge to strangle her. "I'm sure Bill already told you about me," she said, still smiling. _He's my husband, not yours._

"Yes, he has," Laura replied with her best politician's mask she has yet to use so far. _He might be your husband but I'm having his baby. Get lost!_

"So how are you, Madam President?" _I hope you stay here longer so you can't have **my **husband._

"Call me Laura, please." _Damned woman! I am THE PRESIDENT! _

"Laura," Anne said. _You're just a schoolteacher._

Bill noticed that Laura was spitting fire from her eyes. Usually it would be carefully hidden but he could always tell. He knew her. She was in her _dragon-lady _mode. He wished she would calm down mentally. It surely wasn't good for the baby.

"Young lady, time for your check-up," Cottle said coming in, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. He seemed startled to see the people surrounding the president. _Why wasn't she resting, stubborn woman._ "You have company, I see."

"Jack, meet Anne, Bill's _wife_," Laura said, almost bitterly.

"_Wife?_" Cottle almost choked.

"Nice to meet you," Anne greeted warmly.

Cottle grunted and shook her hand. Just when Laura was going to have at least some happiness in her live, this _Anne _woman had to show up. "Well, everyone out," he said and drew the curtains shut as Bill left with Anne. "How are you doing?" he asked her gently.

She looked at him and started to sniffle. "I'm sorry… It's just that I thought…" she let her voice trail away, leaving her sentence unfinished and hanging in mid-air. The tears flowed freely now. "What am I going to do now?" she asked her doctor. "The Quorum would never understand."

"You just tell them you're doing your part in _making babies_. Tell them the truth. I'm sure they're not as idiotic as they seem to be."

"Tom Zarek is," she said. "An idiot, I mean."

"Worry about him later," Cottle said.

She allowed herself to smile. She loved Cottle even though he was sometimes a sarcastic pain in the ass. At least he cared, whatever image he would like others to see, she knew he cared. "Gods I feel like crap."

He flipped a page on his clipboard. "He loves you."

"I know. But it hurts so much that I'm not the only one especially when I love him so much." Laura adjusted herself on the bed.

"Don't worry too much. She doesn't look half as good as you do," he said and winked.

"Flattery," she said, smiling playfully. "I like it," knowing fully well that Anne Adama was an attractive woman. "But you know that she's a good-looking woman, Jack."

"Yes, but _you're _the president."

She giggled a little. "You're right," she said. "And I'm still more powerful than her."

Cottle smiled and went on with checking his presidential patient.

* * *

"Anne?" the male voice said. The sweet seductive voice echoed in her mind.

"Yes," she said, throwing a glance at Bill sleeping on the couch to make sure he was fully asleep.

"Adama loves that little schoolteacher of his, more so when she is carrying his child."

"I know that," Anne snapped. "I still don't know who you are," she said, making a point.

"My name is Leoben," he said, appearing from behind a wall.

"You have to stop doing that," Anne said, getting down from the rack. "People will think I'm mad if they see me talking to no one…" Leoben had went behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, breathing into the sensitive spot behind her ear. "Don't worry, Anne," he said. "I won't make you talk to me with people around… You just have to listen to me."

"All right," she said, breathlessly.

"Roslin is a powerful woman, Anne," Leoben said. "Don't let Adama completely fall into her charms. Don't lose your hold on him. I will tell you more in times to come," he whispered. "Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Good girl," he praised. "Good girl…"

_To be continued…_


	6. Helping Hands

Chapter 6

"Anne is back?" Kara Thrace choked, spilling some ambrosia in the process. "_Back?_"

Lee nodded almost gravely. "Yeah."

"Is she staying with the Old Man?"

"Yeah."

"Look, you don't like Anne… I don't like her too. What about the _President?_"

"What _about _the President?"

Kara shot Lee an impatient look. "Gods, Lee, don't be so-ugh-I don't know how to say it but don't you notice? _Something _is definitely going on between the Old Man and the President although they don't _act _weirdly or whatever. There's like some kind of pull between them."

"Pull?" Lee raised an eyebrow. He did notice it but he had ignored it not wanting to think about his father in a compromising situation.

"Lee!" Kara exclaimed, exasperated. "Come on!"

"Yes, maybe. But that doesn't seem like a good reason there's _something _going on between them."

"LEE!"

"Okay, fine!" Lee finally said. "There is some kind of _pull _between them."

"Now that Anne is back, it's going to ruin things between them."

"It would I admit. But I doubt the Old Man would leave Anne because of a _pull._"

"I know. I'm going to go see her. They said she was in sickbay… Allergies or something."

"Her?"

"The President, Laura," Kara said and left.

Kara Thrace was perfectly aware of the feelings her adopted father had for the President. He had never admitted it, of course. But Kara had noticed how concern he was when the cancer almost killed her. That was not how a _friend _should feel. A normal friend wouldn't be _that _concern. Also she had noticed that the president seemed happy in a way when she was around him-glowing. And she seemed to be spending a lot of time in his quarters too…

* * *

"Hi," Kara said drawing the light curtains apart to find Laura curled up on the bed and sleeping. She almost turned to leave not wanting to disturb her knowing that she didn't get enough sleep even when she should but Laura shifted and sat up.

"Oh it's you," she said and smiled. "Hi."

Kara was surprised when she saw that Laura seemed to have spent the last hour…_crying?!_ Kara realized. The president's eyes were red, the puffiness almost gone down but still faintly visible. "Are you all right?" Kara asked, immediately worried that something was wrong.

"I think so," she said softly.

"Is-" Kara started. "Is the cancer…" she left her sentence hanging.

"No," Laura said. "I-" she started to say but hesitated.

Kara went over to Laura's bedside and plopped into the chair left by Bill hours ago. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if I can-should tell you this, Kara," she said.

"Do you trust me?" Kara asked gently.

Laura searched the younger woman's face for something, anything. Then she finally nodded.

"Then tell me. It's a secret right?" Kara smiled.

Laura smiled. "Yes, I suppose. It's personal," Laura said, finding the experience embarrassing.

"All right. I won't tell anyone."

"_Anne_," Laura said firmly. One word but Kara understood.

"Yeah, she's back," Kara said. "There is something going on between you and the Old Man, isn't it?" Kara said as gently as possible. "Do you love him?" she asked, knowing how heavy the question was.

"I'm-" Laura paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

_Pregnant?! _Kara stared, eyes wide open. So there is _something _going on… Kara's lips began to twitch and she broke into a bright smile. "Well, congrats, Madam President. I suppose I should know who's going to be the lucky dad," she said, beaming.

As much as she tried to stop it, Laura felt the tears forming again and seconds later, she was crying again. "Gods, I'm sorry…" Laura said, shakily, trying so stop the tears and wiping her eyes fervently. "He's married."

"Oh yeah...right. Anne."

"He's not leaving her."

"He's not?" Kara asked, feeling the beginnings of anger bubbling in her stomach.

Laura shook her head and the tears started to cease from flowing. "I thought he would, Kara." Laura looked at her hands. "I can't keep the baby if he's not leaving her," she said feeling a cold stab of pain in her heart.

"What are you saying?" Kara was beginning to feel worried. "What do you mean?"

"I am the President of the Twelve Colonies and I'm going to have a married man's child," she said quietly. "It's not right. How can it be?"

"My gods, are you going to _abort _the baby?" Kara asked and gulped.

"_I don't know…_" Laura looked at Kara and sighed. "I _can't _have a married man's baby!"

"I-" Kara paused. "But you can't," she protested.

"I know. Don't you think I know that? Kara, you have no idea how much it hurts. I love Bill, I do but I'm committing political suicide if I have his baby, the Fleet Admiral's baby. And he shows no indication that he's ever going to leave her, and hurts me so much!"

Kara was stunned at the emotional outburst. Laura had never seemed to be emotionally upset, heck, she never seemed to have any emotions at all, not in public anyway.

"I'm sorry," Kara said softly.

"Oh I'm the one who's supposed to apologize… I don't know what's got into me," Laura said.

"It's okay, you love him. I know how upset you are."

Laura started to cry again but this time she allowed Kara to hold her. "I thought he would leave her for me," she said, her voice quivering. "I really thought I was important to him. I'm an idiot. I don't want to be the other woman. I don't want to be his mistress."

"You're not," Kara said and continued to hold her until she had fallen asleep.

* * *

"Permission to speak freely sir!"

"As always, Starbuck," Bill said. She was pissed at something and he wondered if Lee had done anything. "What is it?"

"Are you going to leave Anne?"

"_Leave_ Anne? Who do you think you are?" Bill said.

"I was in sickbay just now. I went to see the President and she was-" Kara paused and clenched her fists. "She was _broken!_"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you realize that she's the President and she _can't _have a married man's baby! And you're married!"

"What are you saying?" Bill asked confused.

"She was crying. She was considering an abortion. You hurt her really bad. She said she didn't want to be the other woman."

"_Abortion?_" Bill's mouth went dry. "I'll see her."

"She's sleeping," Kara said. "I don't think that Doctor Cottle would allow the abortion."

"She almost suffered a miscarriage. That was why she was sent to sickbay."

Kara nodded. "She loves you, Admiral."

"I know."

Laura stirred slowly and realized that Kara was gone. Then she felt the throbbing in her abdomen returning. _No, Gods no!_ She curled to her side to try and stop the pain but it wasn't seem to be working. She was going to scream for Cottle when she saw a shadow. Before she could turn around, she felt someone's hand cover her face.

_Gods, no! Please no! _Her mind was spinning and all became black.

_To be continued…_


	7. Breakdown

Chapter 7

When Laura opened her eyes, the first person she saw was Cottle standing at the foot of the bed. Then she realized what happened. She faintly remembered the smell of the object covering her face before she lost consciousness-the sweet, pleasant odour-and she remembered begging the Gods to help her when she felt the pain in her abdomen return. _The pain! _her mind came to a sharp halt. Was her baby safe?

"How are you?" she heard Cottle's voice, her mind still hazy.

"What _happened_?" Laura asked, a little weakly as she struggled with her unwilling body. "Is the baby all right?" She was speaking entirely to fast. "Somebody covered my face!"

"You-" Cottle paused and swallowed. "One of the aides found you unconscious and you were bleeding."

"I told you… Someone covered my face! I felt pain and before I could call for help, somebody covered my face!" she said, her voice rising a tone higher. "Is _my baby _all right?!" she almost screamed and sat upright.

"You have to calm down," Cottle said moving to her side. "I'm sorry Laura," he said. "We couldn't do anything… The baby was already lost while you were unconscious."

"No!" she gasped, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't imagine losing the baby, _her baby_. _How could she have ever thought of an abortion_, she screamed in her mind, when she wanted it so much without realizing it. Now that she had lost the baby, she couldn't imagine how she could go on with her life. "No!" she said again, and threw the nearest thing she could reach. In this case, it was the pillow she was resting on.

"Gods, calm down!" Cottle said, his voice also rising.

"No!" she said again, struggling against the force of the doctor holding her shoulders down.

"Somebody get me a sedative!" Cottle yelled and proceeded to say some medical terms Laura couldn't understand. She struggled harder, her eyes swollen.

"Somebody did this!" she screamed. "Somebody covered my face so I couldn't call for help!"

"I know that!" Cottle said and grunted when she reached out to pushed him away.

Laura calmed a little bit. "You know that?" her breathing was still short and fast.

"Yes, we smelled a little chloroform on your face… Gods know where the person who did this got it from."

She seemed to stop struggling and settled back down on the remaining pillow that wasn't hurled across the room. "I-I'm sorry. I can't- I-" she stumbled over her own words and broke down into a series of sobs. "I hate them!" she cried. "I hate them!"

Cottle took the syringe one of the medical aides handed over to him. "You'll feel better," he said.

"I don't want to be sedated!" a note of panic entering her voice.

"Whoever that tried to harm you won't be able to get to you. Billy and a few other bodyguards would be standing guard. You're safe."

She mumbled a slow protest but welcomed the calming effect the sedative was having on her. "_Bill_," she said, her mind becoming hazy again. She wanted him to be here so bad but she knew now that Anne was back-_damned woman_-and the chances of him being there no matter what he said he would do was close to never. She would always be _second_.

Slowly, she drifted into a deep sleep.

"Where are you going?" Anne asked.

"Sickbay. Something happened," Bill said.

"He's going to see Roslin," Leoben said to Anne. "Did she lose the baby?"

"Yes, I think so," Anne said.

"What did you say?" Bill asked, turning around as he was about to step through the hatch.

Anne mentally kicked herself for slipping. "I was just saying that I hope she's all right."

"Me too," he said and disappeared out the hatch.

"I thought you said that you won't make me talk to you in the presence of other people, especially Bill," she said.

"I didn't make you speak to me. You could have merely nodded." He went up to her and tilted her chin up to make her look at him. "Now that the baby's out of the way, you should be able to keep him more."

She nodded awkwardly as he was still holding her.

"She won't be much competition without the extra leverage," he said, now whispering into her ear. "Now little old Anne can get her man," he teased.

"Yes," she said and smiled.

Bill practically ran to sickbay and when he got there, he found Cottle waiting for him.

"What happened? Is she all right?!"

"Calm down, Admiral. She's fine but-" Cottle drew a deep breath and sighed. "She lost the baby."

"_What_?!" He steadied himself before he swayed dangerously.

"She suffered a miscarriage. Someone attacked her… She was going to call for help when she felt the pain but someone covered her face-chloroform-and she lost consciousness," Cottle explained. "She was very upset and I had to sedate her."

"She was attacked?" Bill's dark complexion paled. "How?!"

"I don't know, Admiral. Honestly, I don't know. The aides have been asked but none of them saw anything. The person who did this had to be someone that no one would ever suspect of doing anything. But if it was an assassination attempt, they wouldn't leave her unconscious. They would have… Well…assassinated her. Or they could have just did it straight away. This was way off. It was a _amateur _attempt."

"Is she being protected?" he asked and Cottle nodded.

Bill's heart sank at the thought of almost losing her. "Can I see her?"

Cottle nodded. "But you should come back later. She's going to sleep through the night anyway. When she wakes up, be gentle with her. I'm afraid that she might have an emotional breakdown."

"Of course," Bill said and nodded his understanding. "I'll be back later."

Bill left and returned after a few hours. He didn't know what he should tell her really. He felt like he should have been there to protect her from the assailant. _I should have been there, _he kept on repeating to himself. _I should have been there. The baby is lost, our baby is lost because of me._ Rational told him that there was no way he could have seen that coming. But his heart told him that he should have been with her.

He made a trip to the CIC to check on things but mostly to pass time. He went back to sickbay hours later to find Laura already awake. Her eyes were swollen and her lips were pressed into one unhappy line. She sat leaning on a pillow and stared aimlessly ahead of her.

"Laura?" he asked slowly.

She turned to look at him and looked away not saying anything. Guilt ripped through him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I-"

"I lost the baby," she said almost monotonously and not looking at him. "I lost _our_ baby."

"It's okay," he said gently, remembering Cottle's earlier advice. "I should have been here with you. I could have protected you. I'm so sorry."

"No!" she said, her eyes flashing. "_I lost the baby!_" She stared at him. "Don't you understand?! There is no reason why you should be here! You're a man with a wife. The baby is gone, Bill! The baby is _gone!_ You don't have to leave your _precious _Anne for me! You don't have to stay with me anymore!" Laura's voice rose.

"Laura, what are you saying?" Bill asked. "Gods Laura…" He'd never seen her so unhinged before, so out of control.

"I'm saying that we shouldn't be near each other! You weren't going to leave Anne before so you shouldn't… There's nothing I could give you now!" she said clenching her fists, her eyes glittering brilliantly.

"You're not thinking properly."

"Aren't I? Even when I _was _going to have the baby, you weren't going to leave her," she said and laughed ironically.

"Laura, I can't just _leave _her like that. She did nothing wrong, she doesn't deserve to get hurt. And she just returned. She doesn't deserve to pay for what I did," he said patiently. _Best not to upset her even more_, he thought.

"_Pay?_" she echoed his words and suddenly looked away. _Pay for what he did? Everything they had together was a mistake to him. _She felt a stab of white cold pain rip her heart to shreds. When she looked up, the flush on her cheeks was gone. The glitter in her eyes had disappeared. "So _I _was a mistake."

"That was not what I meant," he quickly said realizing that it had not quite come out the way he wanted it to. He was trying to explain that he didn't want to hurt Anne unnecessarily.

"I know what you meant. So please leave," she said quickly.

"What?" He wasn't sure he had heard her correctly.

"Just leave me," she repeated. She wasn't going to let him see how easily whatever he said affected her. "I'm sure Anne would be waiting for you. I don't think it would be wise for us to continue this."

"Laura-"

"No, Bill," she forced herself to say. "I can't do this. I really _can't_."

"This is it?" he asked, breathing deeply. "We're just going to drift apart?"

"I'm sure Anne-" she paused, steadying her voice. "I'm sure Anne would be all you'll ever need," she said, although she knew that she would regret it later, possibly the moment he left sickbay.

"Laura-" he started to protest but she cut him off.

"Please… I'm sure Anne would make you very happy."

"All right then," he said. "If it's what you want."

"Thank you," she said thickly.

He reached out and touched her hand for a moment. Then he left without saying anything more.

_To be continued…_


	8. Disbelieving

Chapter 8

_She was sleeping… Then suddenly awaken by a slow throb in her abdomen. The baby is in danger, her mind alerted her. Gods no, please no! She needed to get help. Kara was gone from her side. She curled herself into a side position to minimize the pain and opened her mouth to call out. Before she could, a hand covered her face and stifled her cry. No! She tried to breathe and was greeted by a sweet odour. Her mind started to become hazy as she struggled to stay conscious. "Say bye bye to your precious baby, Laura…" she heard through her foggy mind. No! Not her baby! "Say bye bye to your precious baby, Laura," she heard again. With a force, she turned around to see the woman she hated so much pressing down onto her face. Her lungs were bursting to scream. Anne! _

Laura's eyelids flew open and she sat up straight, drenched in her own cold sweat. Her breathing came quick and unsteady. _Anne! _She looked around, still gasping for air, to realize that she was back in her bed on Colonial One. It was the second time in the week since she had returned to Colonial One that she had this dream but the last time, she had awoken before she could see who was behind her, the voice that spoke. Now she knew, now she knew _whom_ it was. But it was only a dream. Can dreams be trusted? It was different when she was on the chamalla. But she knew it in her gut. "_Hi, I'm Anne," _Laura remembered that voice she had heard from her when she came to see her in sickbay. It was the same voice! She had to tell someone-she had to tell Bill.

She put on her robe and went to the comm. unit. She had to tell Bill. Anne was dangerous. She hated Anne Adama. She wanted to strangle her with her own bare hands and airlock her after that. All her rationale was gone. She knew that it was through a dream she had remembered it. She prayed that Bill will believe her. _Please, Lords of Kobol, _Laura prayed. _Please let him believe me…_ She was trembling with anger. She hated Anne so much that if she saw her, she would tackle her.

* * *

Bill was met by a trembling woman when he went to see Laura. Her face was flushed and her eyes burned with flames. "You wanted to see me," he said. Losing the baby was taking a toll on her, he thought.

"Yes," she said, pacing around the room. "I know who covered my face."

"Who?!" Bill's pulse quickened. Whomever that did this, he was sure to commit murder when he saw him-or her. "Who is it?!"

"Anne."

"_What?!_" Bill felt as though he was nailed to the ground. "How did you know that?!"

"I-" she stammered and looked at him. _Please let him believe me, _Laura prayed again. "I heard someone said something before I passed out. Until now, I wasn't sure who said it but now I know!" she said her eyes flashing.

"And how did you find out?" he asked. His voice barely a whisper.

"I had a dream-"

"You had a _dream?!_" he asked, incredulous.

"Yes. I remembered the voice and I couldn't quite place it but then in the dream, I heard it and I saw her," she said. "Bill, I _know_ it's her."

"Did you really see her when it actually happened?"

_Gods… He doesn't believe me, _she thought"No but-"

"How can you know it was her then if you didn't see her?" he asked. Losing the baby _really really _took a toll on her, he thought again. "For Gods' sake Laura, it was a _dream!_"

"I know it was her! I can remember her voice!" she said, her eyes flashing. "Why don't you believe me?!"

"It's my wife you are talking about! And you didn't actually _see _her. You couldn't even tell where you heard the voice until you had this _dream_," he told her. "Laura, please," he said and closed the distance between them. "You're still upset about the baby," he said and took her trembling hand. The fact that she was accusing his wife was hard to stomach. The woman with whom she had been married to for so long would not do that definitely.

She flinched as though she had been burnt and he let go. "Yes! I _am _still upset about the baby but I know what I'm talking about! I know that she's your wife, Bill. I _know _that. But I also know she did it. Why cant you believe me?!"

"It was a dream, Laura," he said and took her hand again.

"No!" she said and shrank from him. "No! It was her!"

"Listen to me," he said sternly. "It was a dream."

"I know what happened between us was a mistake to you. I know you aren't going to leave her. You've made your choice. All I'm asking is for you to believe me! Anne did this!" she said, her voice trembling and she turned from him.

He grabbed her arm and steered her towards him. "Godsdammit woman!" he raised his voice. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?! It was a frakking dream! You don't just believe your dreams are true unless you have proof-which you don't!" She tried to pull away but he gripped tighter. "I know it's hard for you, Laura. But you have to pull yourself together!"

"No! It was Anne! I know it was her!" she said. "Let me go!"

"You don't know that it was her! I want to believe you, Laura, I do. But I can't when all this is based on a dream you had!" he said as she tried to pry his fingers of her arms. "The Fleet doesn't need an emotionally unstable president."

"You're hurting me, Bill!" she finally said, almost screaming and on the verge of tears.

Billy rushed in the moment Laura said it. "Are you all right, ma'am?" he asked throwing a killer stare at Bill. Bill realizing what he was doing, immediately let lose his grip on her arm and she pulled away from him.

"Oh gods… I'm sorry Laura. I just- you need to think properly," he said with a look of remorse on his face. "You need to clear your head and think properly."

"I think you better leave," she said, fighting to control her tears. "I thought you would understand, Bill. I thought you would believe me," she said, shaking. "Billy, please show the Admiral out."

"Of course, Madam President," the young man said, looking at Bill.

Bill stepped closer to her. "Please Laura, I'm sorry."

She shrank back. _She's afraid of me_, he thought. Remorse coursed through his veins. Again he had hurt her. What was wrong with him? His thoughts shifted to Anne. What if Laura was indeed telling the truth? But Anne had said she understood. Anne had said she would make it work. Why was he with Anne? She was nothing more than just an old friend now. They didn't even sleep in the same bed. But he felt guilty. Anne had been nothing short of devoted to him back on Caprica. She loved him. _Guilt made him stay with Anne_, he realized.

"Please just leave. You are going to return to the woman who did this to _me_," she said, adopting a presidential tone in her voice. She looked at him in the eye. _Why won't he believe her? _Again she hurled mental curses at the damned woman with a name called Anne Adama. If he didn't believe her, there was nothing she could do about it. If he didn't believe her, _no one else would believe her._ If she told anyone else, they wouldn't believe her-not that she _could_ tell anyone else exactly. Not everyone knew that she was _even_ expecting a child.

"I _hate _you," she said, although she knew deep down she didn't mean it. Deep down, she _loved_ him. But her anger and her hurt overpowered any other sentiments. "Leave me."

"As you wish," Bill said coldly and followed Billy out.

* * *

Anne sat wearily on the couch as she waited for Bill to return. "Do you think he will believe her?" she asked nervously.

Leoben knelt in front of her and touched her face. "He will return to you," he said confidently. "His rationale would tell him that he can't believe a dream," he continued. "He would want actual facts."

"He might believe her. He loves her."

"But he won't. He thinks she's emotionally unstable. And besides, you have been married for long. He would think that he knows you," Leoben said. "He won't believe that you would do such a thing. Now, they have drifted apart. They're not as close as they used to be."

"They are over?" Anne asked.

"Not yet," he said and bent to kiss her behind her ears. "But they _will_ be when he comes back later. She will be furious at him."

"Will they still love each other?" Anne asked, closing her eyes as he nibbled on her ear gently.

"We can't predict how the heart feels," he said. "But they will be apart."

"I think that would be good enough. I am younger than that schoolteacher," Anne said confidently. "I think I would have him in on my leash soon. He feels guilty that he was with another woman now that I have returned. His morals are important to him."

"You learn fast."

"I do, don't I?"

_To be continued…_


	9. Realization

Chapter 9

Bill strode through the corridors wearing a haunted look on his face. Laura had been close to an emotional breakdown-hell, she looked like she was going through an emotional breakdown. He had for a moment contemplated returning to her to embrace and comfort her but worried that she would be more distressed, decided against it. "_Anne did this to me!" _Laura's voice rang in his ears.

Was Anne capable of such a thing? Back on Caprica, all the time they'd been together, they had been happy. _Define happy, _a small voice said at the back of his mind. She was a good wife and never seemed to get really upset when he had to go away for long periods of time. Besides, she said she understood. He snapped back from his thoughts when he realized that he was standing in front of his quarters. He allowed a small sigh to escape his lips and walked through the unclosed hatch.

He heard laughter-Anne's laughter. Then there was silence. Bill wasn't really in a mood to entertain guests. Perhaps it was Lee.

Bill silently unbuttoned his uniform. He heard Anne's laughter again. He wasn't really in a mood to laugh either but he took a deep breath and forced a smile, ready to greet whomever it may be, hoping that it wasn't Ellen Tigh.

He was greeted by Anne's back-she was sitting on the coach with her back towards him. She didn't notice him enter. _And apart from her, there was nobody else in the room. _

"No, I have better legs than her," Anne said to some invisible person she was obviously giving her attention to and giggled.

"Anne?" Bill asked, confusion written all over his face. "Who are you talking to?"

Anne spun around-horror etched on her face. "B-Bill," she stammered. "You surprised me…"

"Who were you talking to?" he asked again. _She was acting strange._

"No one!" she said a little too quickly. "I was-uh-talking to myself."

"You never do that," he said, matter-of-factly.

"I was bored," she said. "So, what did the President want?" she asked him, deliberately changing the subject.

"She wanted to speak to me about problems regarding the Fleet," he lied.

"At this time of the day?" she asked incredulously.

"She is concerned. That's all."

"I see."

He kept silent and undressed on the way to the head.

"She's not having your baby anymore, Bill," she said from outside.

Bill's thoughts returned to Laura's hysterical words. "_She did this to me, Bill! Why won't you believe me?!" _The sound of the water running onto his body drowned Anne's voice as he remembered what happened. He remembered how she looked at him. "_I hate you," _she had said. He was losing her, he thought. He was losing Laura.

"Bill?" Anne's voice floated in. "Are you hearing me? She's not going to have your baby anymore…" she said, a little too casually. "So you don't need to be spending so much time with her." Bill felt an uneasy feeling creep up his throat and he swallowed it.

"_Anne did this to me!" _

Bill came to a halt as the shower kept running. He felt an overwhelming need to believe Laura. He believed her. But there was no proof that Anne did it, none whatsoever. _Nobody saw anything. _He found himself in front of Anne in a matter of seconds and he was glaring at her, the full blast of his fury bore into her. "Were you the one who _attacked _Laura" he asked through gritted teeth. He didn't care if he couldn't prove it. He felt it in his gut.

Anne trembled in front of him. "No," she said. "How could you even suggest such a thing?" she asked in a small voice. "I'm your wife."

"_Did you hurt her?_" he asked again, his rage boiling through his skin. He was inches away from her and she backed off until she was trapped against a wall.

"Bill-" she trembled. _He was going to hit her_, she thought. She shuddered thinking of how hard he was going to hit her.

"Did you hurt HER?!" his voice rose to a thunderous boom.

Tears spilled out of her eyes-terror mirrored in them. She regretted listening to Leoben. She had no doubt that Bill might even kill her. "No-" she started to say but quick as lightning, she was pinned to the wall-Bill holding her shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the blow that would most probably render her unconscious.

"Don't worry, Anne," she heard Leoben's voice. "He won't hit you."

She slowly opened her eyes and met his glare. She saw Leoben behind Bill and felt a little calmer.

"You will regret the moment you laid a finger on Laura," he spat angrily at her and let her go. "You will pay for what you did when I get back."

Bill stormed out, walking with his hands clenched into fists and wearing a deep frown on his face. Then it started to wear off. He needed to go to Laura. He needed to tell her how sorry he was for doubting her.

* * *

"How could you?!" Laura cried, her breath short and laboured. "How could you?!" She was furious to see him, her hurt still on the surface. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

Bill looked ashen-faced but couldn't find the words to say anything.

"Our baby!" she cried in between sobs. "I wouldn't care if she had nothing to do with this! I would just go on with my life! But _she_ did this to me! How could you go back to the woman who did this to _us_?!"

"I-" he started. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"You're sorry?!" she cried and went up to him. She jabbed a shaky finger onto his chest. "You!" she choked. "You chose her over me! You didn't believe me!" She started pounding her fists against his chest. "I hate you!" she cried. "I'll _never_ forgive you!"

He hesitated and eventually brought his arms around the shaking woman. "I'm sorry, Laura," he whispered into her hair as she struggled to pull away from him.

"No!" she gasped and pushed harder at him. Finally she gave in and buried her face in his chest, crying as though she had not cried since forever. He gently stroked her back in circular motions. His heart cringed as he heard her muffled sobs. He held her tighter.

She shook her head and cried harder-for the baby they would never have, for her shattered dreams and tears of joy for his return.

* * *

"Where are we going?"

"You'll have to leave for a while…" Leoben said. "Stay in the civilian ships or Cloud Nine if you like. It doesn't matter. You'll have to disappear for awhile but you'll return soon enough."

"Will you be there?" Anne asked, softly, enjoying his breath on her neck.

"Of course. I will guide you every step of the way," he said and kissed her fully on the lips. "Don't worry. You'll make a grand return…"

_To be continued…_


	10. More Arguments

Chapter 10

Laura curled up next to him on the couch , barely touching him. One side of her was still angry at him and she couldn't fight that side. It couldn't go so fast-her anger. She was still hurting.

"What are we going to do about Anne?" she asked. Her voice finally regaining the stability she had lacked for too long. She wished that Bill would allow her to airlock that damned woman.

"She committed a crime," Bill stated. "But if we arrest her, the press will want to find out about _why_ we arrested her. And she's not admitting anything. At least not when I confronted her."

_Why they had arrested her,_ Laura thought. If everyone in the fleet knew about the baby-she cringed at the thought of her child-it was going to hurt her image badly. She wasn't supposed to be sleeping with the Admiral of the Fleet or worse still, have his child out of wedlock. "I hate her, Bill. I really do," she said, curling her fingers into fists. "Can't we do something?" _Maybe airlock her…_

Bill watched her intently. "I don't know. I left her after yelling at her… I don't know what she's thinking." He noticed that she was more reserved now-quieter. He didn't know if he should welcome it or not. She was distant like some faraway, unreachable star that can be seen but not touched. "Laura…" he said, eyes begging.

She turned to look at him silently, anguish embedded in her eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"_Am I all right?_" she asked herself, not answering her question. "I need to know something. Why did you stay with her-even when I was pregnant? Was I-was I just a replacement?"

He reached out for her hand and took it into his own. She trembled a little but didn't pull away.

"Because," she continued. "It really hurt when you said you weren't going to leave her, Bill. It really hurt me to think that I wasn't-" her voice started to falter.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and brought it to his lips, breathing in the scent of her skin and feeling the softness of her flesh. "You're not a replacement, Laura. I love you," he said gently.

"But-"

"But nothing," he stopped her. "I just didn't want to hurt her so soon. I loved her on Caprica." she dropped her gaze and swallowed. Evidently, Anne was worth loving before this. Nevertheless, Laura still hated that woman with all her heart. Bill brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and she looked up. "Now I love you," he said, smiling and holding her hand.

"Oh Bill…"

"And I'm sorry if I did anything to hurt you because that would be the last thing I would want to do."

She inched closer to him and finally rested her head on his shoulder. "I wanted the baby," she told him. He circled her shoulders with his arm, kissing the top of her head. "When I was thinking of an-an abortion, I thought I could go through with it. But when I really lost the baby…"

"Shhh," he comforted her. "It's all right."

"Never in a million years I thought everything that happened _would _happen. _Now _especially… I'm sorry."

"No, it wasn't your fault. It was never your fault," he said and pulled her closer. "We'll get through this."

* * *

"Sir, there's no sign of your wife so far."

Bill turned to look at the young officer, not recognizing the face. Most probably a new recruit. "Continue the search," he said and walked over to his desk. Protocol be damned, he wanted to-needed to find Anne. It was as though she had disappeared without a trace and nobody even saw her leave. _Laura's going to be upset-very upset. _

"Dammit!" he heard himself mutter. Anne was gone and he couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

Laura Roslin couldn't fight the tears that spilled uncontrollably down her face. She had lost the election. She had lost the chance to bring the Fleet to safety-to Earth. She felt hollowness in her chest. She had lost so many things in life. Bill couldn't understand. He didn't want her to rig the election. So she had agreed not to rig the election.

_Damned Gaius Baltar, idiotic weasel! Damned Anne! _

Apart from that, she cried because she allowed her memories to get to her. The baby, Billy and Anne's disappearing act. She realized that she loved Billy more than she thought she did-the son she never had.

She was fuming when Bill told her how they couldn't find Anne. She wanted so badly for Anne to pay for what she did.

Then she couldn't cry anymore. She had cried all her tears. She would go about it in a dignified manner. She wouldn't let others see how broken she was. Not even Bill, she told herself. She would be strong. She would forget the past and move on.

* * *

Bill didn't actually feel so bad that she had lost the election. The fact that she had moved to stay on the Galactica allowed him more contact with her. She spent most of her time in his place although she was staying in the guest quarters. Yet, the hopelessness she felt was intolerable. Gaius Baltar was no president. And that god-forsaken planet was in no way Caprica. Finding earth had long been forgotten and Laura knew that it was only a matter of time before the cylons found them-again. And she knew that he wouldn't take her leaving to go down on that planet well.

"_Ms. Roslin, please have a seat," Baltar said, motioning for her to sit. He had summoned her to Colonial One and was going to execute his plan. He had to separate the Admiral and the former President. They were powerful people. even though she was basically a civilian now, she wasn't without influence. And when combined with Adama, he was afraid of them. Six had warned him. "Separate them or they will rise against you. They're not as strong apart as they are together." Laura intimidated him. She always had and always will. "separate them," came six's voice._

_"What is it that you wanted to see me about, Mr. President?" Laura asked in monotone. "I can barely do anything for you if you wanted me to." _

_"Move down o New Caprica," he said. "You can teach the children. I'm sure you're a very good teacher."_

_"There are many other teachers on this fleet," she said, feeling as though she was lying. There weren't many other teachers in this Fleet. But what the frak was Baltar doing? _

_"But I'm sure you're the best." _

_He had some ulterior motif, Laura decided. "What if I don't want to?"_

_"You don't have a choice. I am President. And besides, you wouldn't want anything to happen to the admiral, would you? Or Commander Adama? Maybe even Starbuck?" _

_"What the hell?!" she exclaimed and bolted from her seat._

_"Now watch your language, Ms. Roslin. You would go to New Caprica and set up a school there. You would not tell the admiral the reason you're going down there if he should ask which I think he would most certainly will."_

_Laura stared at him icily and he felt a shiver run up his spine. Six's voice echoed in his mind. "Really separate them." _

_"You will not mention our conversation to him, understood?" Baltar was no fool. He knew that if the Admiral knew, he would turn against the civilian government. He didn't need that. _

_Laura nodded stiffly and left hastily._

"No," Bill said. "You're not going down there. Not to that frakking planet." His voice was firm, not showing any hint that it was going to change. He was making it difficult for her.

"Yes I am," Laura said, also firmly.

"No. There are other teachers on the fleet besides you."

"I have a _doctorate, _Bill. I am going down there. Please don't make this harder for me, Bill. I have to do this."

"I said no," he stated. _Why would she want to leave the comforts up here to go down there to teach-and leave him? _"I understand that you want to do something useful but I won't let you go down there."

"I am going whether you like it or not." Laura said. Gods, this was so hard. He was most probably thinking that she was leaving him for a school on that frakking planet.

"I said no!" he finally raised his voice. "Why do you have to be that stubborn? No Laura! How difficult is it for you to understand that?!"

His outburst startled her and she became more frustrated. _I am trying to protect you, Bill. And your son or whoever you care about. _"I'm going down there. You don't have to protect me all the time."

"You know what? Fine! Go! Build your frakking school on that frakking planet and stay alone for all I care! I don't give a frakking damn!" the full blast of his fury trained onto her.

She looked away for a while not letting him see how much his words hurt her. If only he knew what really happened. But still, it hurt her that he would speak to her in a tone like that. She excused herself went to the bathroom. Only then did she let out a sob she didn't realize she was holding back. "Lords of Kobol, please help me be strong… Please don't let Bill hate me," she whispered to her own reflection in the mirror. She calmed herself and went back out. He wouldn't even speak to her. Feeling his glare on her, she winced. Silently, she cursed Gaius Baltar. Sure, he had virtually saved her life but if she'd known what was coming, she would gladly have air locked him, without thanking him.

"If you leave, mark my words, I will take it that anything between us will cease to exist," Bill finally spoke, his glacial tone cutting right through her.

_No, Bill! Don't do this to me… _"Please Bill," she was on the verge of begging. She wanted to explain everything to him but she knew she couldn't. now, he must hate her. Leaving him for a school. She hated herself for hurting him. Again she cursed Gaius Baltar. _Damned frakweasel! _She wanted to cry so badly. Bill was breaking up with her. How could she ever live without him when he gave her strength?

"It's your choice."

She was silent, her heart bursting with pain. Finally she turned and left without so much as uttering a word to him. At that moment, she doubted her ability to stay sane-or _alive-_on that planet. She doubted herself more than anything.

_To be continued…_


	11. Where Anne Went

Chapter 11

Baltar pondered his own thoughts as _for once, _Six left him alone, not bothering him at all. She hadn't even appeared to him all day. He was starting to wonder that maybe the only reason that she was there in the first place was just to make sure he got to the top-the position of the President of the Twelve Colonies. Perhaps that was all the whole cylon agenda was, for the moment that is. He had succeeded in getting rid of Laura Roslin. Frankly, he had expected it to be harder, not realising the control he had over her when the Admiral came into question.

_He was almost going to go to bed when he heard the knock on the hatch. He shot a furtive glance at Six as she leaned against his test-tube occupied desk. _

_"Don't worry, Gaius," she said. "I've been expecting that… it's a surprise for you." _

_Frowning, he pulled himself up from his seat and went to open the hatch to see a woman-a blonde, he noticed-staring back at him. He had seen her before somewhere… "May I help you?" he heard himself ask. She really was quite attractive and he'd always been partial to blondes. He wondered if Six was reading his thoughts. _

_"Can I come in?" she asked, somewhat warily. "I'm Anne." _

_Anne. Recognition flooded his memory. Adama's wife, he thought. What did she want? "Of course," he said and stepped aside to let her in. _

_"I need some help." _

_Help? "What for?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral. That question was directed at Six who was standing opposite him, right beside Anne Adama. Surely she knew something. _

_"Let her tell you by herself," Six said._

_"Well… I'm in trouble and-" she paused as if to find the words she needed. "Leoben said you could help me." _

_"Leoben?!" his voice came out as a strangled whisper. "You know Leoben? How?!" Six had mentioned him before. He was the cylon that prompted Laura Roslin to request that he checked Adama. _

_"Let's just say you're not the only one who can see… things," she said. "People…"_

_"You can see people?" he asked, looking at Six to find her smiling. _

_"Why are you in trouble?" _

_"I did something and now Bill's looking for me. I have to hide somewhere for the moment."_

_"What did you do?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. _

_"I hurt Laura… But I did it because Leoben said I had to prevent the them from being too close."_

_"Please explain," Baltar said, now that she had his attention. She started to tell him everything, quite certain that she could trust this Baltar man. After all, Leoben said that she could trust him. _

Baltar snapped out of his thoughts. Roslin was pregnant but Anne had made sure the baby was never born. Six had told him to hide Anne. Six had told him that it would be wise, apparently, she had talked with Leoben about it. _How_, he didn't know. Neither did he care to know. He hid her in his lab. The marines never actually checked his lab thoroughly-he was a genius and a scientist. _Why would he hide the Admiral's wife when he barely knew she even existed?_ He had a comfortable bed up here on Colonial One. He had everything he'd wanted. When he had won the presidency, he brought Anne with him to Colonial One. Nobody recognized her. Very few people had realized that Adama's wife had returned and they didn't know her face so it had been relatively easy. She was around but never really socializing. Some _might _recognize her although he couldn't imagine how. Still, it was safer to take precaution.

Now that he was President, Adama's visits had become inevitable. The meetings were part of the job description, so he couldn't really complain. Baltar had to always be careful not to slip about knowing Laura Roslin and the baby. Or the almost baby. And when he had summoned her earlier, he found it difficult to actually talk to her. He had ordered Anne to stay hidden for he knew that if the ex-president _bumped _into the woman who had wronged her, he was quite certain that she would possibly murder her with her own bare hands since she didn't have the luxury of airlocks now. As it turned out, Laura was too angry to even hear _if_ he had let slip a little. He was sure he had succeeded in splitting up the Admiral and his schoolteacher lover.

But it won't be long before Six and Leoben decide to let Anne make an appearance, Baltar knew.

* * *

Bill sat in silence as he watched Laura leave his quarters. Why would she-_how_ could she? She was going to leave him for a _school?_ The other part of his mind decided to argue. He didn't really leave her a choice, did he? He wouldn't listen to her. Did he expect her to stay on Galactica and do nothing but keep him company? He scoffed at his selfish thought. 

"What so funny?" It was Saul. Bill momentarily forgot that Laura had left with the door open and he didn't bother to close it. The image of Laura leaving-that look on her face twisted in his gut like venom. _What_ exactly had he done?

"Nothing. I was just thinking of something."

"I ran into Laura," Saul mentioned.

Bill decided to stay silent.

"She looked as though she was going to cry," Saul probed further.

"Did she?" Bill asked, monotonously.

"What happened?"

"Care to join me for a drink?" he asked as he stood up and went to the shelf.

"I could do with some."

Bill returned with two glasses of ambrosia and handed one to Saul. "So what happened?"

Bill inhaled sharply and took a sip-a gulp really-of the drink and enjoyed the burn down his throat. "She's going down there-to that frakking planet. And for what? To teach," Bill said almost bitterly. _And he had told her that there was now nothing between them…_

"Let me guess. You didn't approve and being the stubborn woman she is, she defied you and went anyway?"

"Not something she hasn't done before."

"She was pretty upset," Saul commented, ambrosia in hand.

"I told her that if she went down there, there won't be anything between us anymore."

"And she still went. You should have known she was not one to stay still."

"I think I acted quite selfishly."

"You did," Saul said bluntly and took a drink. "You should try to make things work."

"Not when she chose a school over Galactica."

"It's your life, Bill. But don't say I didn't try," Saul said, sighing.

* * *

Laura stepped onto the grounds of New Caprica and shuddered. It wasn't the surroundings that made her feel the way she did, but rather what had happened earlier. How was she ever going to survive alone down here, without Bill? Even the notion of children-she loved children-she was going to see in class wasn't enough to make her happy. She was miserable. 

She looked up into the sky and saw the Galactica in all her majestic greatness. She blinked away the tears and began to follow the escort Baltar had assigned to make sure she did as she was told.

She felt uneasy as she approached the tent-her sleeping area. Something was wrong. She expected to find someone in there ready to pounce on her but she needn't have worried. It was empty except for a miserable couch-like thing that was her bed, according to her escort. Since she had taken chamalla for the now history cancer, she could feel things. Even now when she'd stopped, she still had a heightened sense.

And she sensed something was wrong.

_To be continued…_


	12. Can't Stay Mad

Chapter 12

The tent was _unoccupied, _unlike what Laura had expected. She mentally kicked herself for allowing her mind to slip and fall through the depths of unwarranted fear. She wondered if she was losing her mind. Maybe her mind had decided that it couldn't take anymore and snapped.

_No,_ she thought. _You're fine. You'll get through this, Laura,_ she convinced herself. The escort had left her and Maya was around to help set up the school. She blocked out all traces of Bill from her mind and decided that Maya most probably needed help anyway. It was already dark when they had finally managed to arrange everything in the cramped classroom. Baltar had given her little to work with and they had to make the most of everything.

When Laura returned to her tent, she was already trembling from all the energy her mind had to use to keep her from breaking down. It was much harder than she had ever expected-being away from Bill. It was emotionally draining her life energy, not that she had much of it left. Night was cold. She had forgotten how _real _atmosphere felt. She curled herself up in the miserable pile of sheets that would be her sleeping accommodations. She felt her eyes well up with tears and she cried herself to sleep, knowing fully that if she didn't let whatever she might be feeling out now, she would not be able to control it when it all came bubbling out.

* * *

Laura swallowed as she caught a glimpse of Bill emerging from the Raptor. _He had come down here… For what exactly? _She couldn't stop the emotions she fought so hard to suppress all this time that were emerging like lava flowing from a volcano before it _really _erupted. She started walking back to her tent, quickening her pace when the tears threatened _again._ She didn't realize that Bill had seen her and was following her.

Bill had come down to New Caprica for Baltar's ground-breaking ceremony. She was sure of that. She _thought_ it was that. She rushed into her tent and let her tears fall freely down her face as she hugged herself, standing in the middle of the space-her space. She was alone. Nobody could see her now.

"Laura?"

She stiffened almost immediately, recognizing that voice of his. The voice she missed so dearly. She turned around slowly to meet him face to face, making no attempt to move or to hide the anguish she felt. She couldn't let herself say anything for fear that she would crumble into a pile on the ground. He was there, right in front of her.

"You ran," he stated, not moving from the entrance of the tent.

She looked at her feet and nodded. "I-I couldn't stay there." She looked up at him. "I just couldn't bare to-" she broke of midway as she felt him encircle his arms around her and she welcomed the comforting smell of his uniform, of him.

"I'm sorry," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'm so sorry for how I acted before you left."

All Laura could do was hold him tighter. So many days and nights without him was pure torture. She was glad that he didn't completely cut her off like he said he would. She was trembling with joy. She honestly had no idea how long more she could've lasted had he not come today.

"I just couldn't understand at that time why you wanted to come down here but now I do. I should've understood how you felt about not having anything to do. I should've understood that teaching had always been your passion despite anything else and I had no right to try to take something that would make you happy away." He prayed that she would forgive him. He needed her to forgive him. He'd realized that he needed her. And so he swallowed his pride and did what needed to be done. He went back to her.

Laura knew that he had it all wrong. _Yes, _her passion _was_ teaching but now, _he _was her passion. He needed to know that. She needed to tell him. "I have to tell you something," she said looking up. "I need you to promise _not _to do anything… No matter how you might feel, I need you to promise not to take any action."

"What is it?" he asked his expression getting worried. "Laura-"

"I need you to promise me you won't do anything. _Please._"

"All right, I promise," he said, although he doubted if he could keep that promise.

"I didn't come down here because I wanted to teach or open a school." He let go of her so he could look properly at her. "Baltar forced me."

"_What?_"

"Listen to me, Bill. He made me leave because I think he was afraid of something. He threatened to hurt you or Lee, even Kara, if I wouldn't comply or told you anything about it."

"What can he do to hurt me?"

Laura looked at him painfully. "We both know it wouldn't be something like airlocking you. Anyone can just slip something into your dinner and before you know it, you're in sickbay fighting for your life and I was not willing to let that happen. He wouldn't be President if he didn't have any supporters."

He seemed thoughtful for a while. "You're right. But if you told me earlier, I wouldn't have yelled at you," he said, harsher then he intended. .

She looked away and stayed silent.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, afraid that he might have hurt her.

"Why don't we just try to enjoy this?" she said. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," he told her, pulling her close again. This time, he kissed her slightly on her lips. She responded more hungrily than she thought was possible, locking onto his lips with hers. They pulled apart slightly breathless. "Evidently, you've missed me a lot," he said, smirking.

"Well," she drawled, suddenly playful, reminding him of a kitten. "If you _haven't _missed me as much as I've missed you, then we'll just _talk_ all night." She pulled away and turned her back on him.

"Not a chance!" he growled and ambushed her, knocking her down onto the sheets on the ground. "We'll do more than just _talk_," he said and pinned her beneath him. She giggled and smiled dazzlingly at him.

"Just as I had expected," she said before he covered her mouth with his.

* * *

Anne winced as she heard her husband and Laura Roslin make love. That woman and her husband! She crept away quietly, making sure that she wasn't attracting any attention to herself. She wondered what Baltar would do when she reported to him what had happened.

_Roslin had told Bill about Baltar forcing her to go down to the planet, _Anne thought. She remembered what Leoben had told her to convince her to go to Baltar when Bill was hunting for her. She was part of the plan to help Baltar, to assist him whenever possible. "_We have a plan for you," _she recalled Leoben saying. "_Baltar is our 'representative' to the human race without them knowing of course… Laura Roslin is the human race's leader-their hope to find earth, although they haven't come to realize that yet. And your role is to hurt Laura Roslin, my love…" _

That was all she needed. She hated Laura Roslin, the woman who took her husband's love and affection. She needed no other reason.

She needed to _hurt_ Laura Roslin.

* * *

It had been two months since Bill came down planet side. Laura sighed as she allowed the memories of that one day with Bill. He'd returned to the Galactica and she was alone again. She watched contently as the children coloured their drawings. They were there to brighten her otherwise dull day. She sighed again.

Soon, she might have the time to build her cabin and Bill might come down permanently, once he was sure the cylons wouldn't return. But deep down inside, she _knew, she felt,_ that the cylons _will _return. The class ended and she was grading the children's most recent homework when she looked up to see Baltar at the entrance to the classroom surrounded with bodyguards.

"Hello, Ms. Roslin," he said.

_"How _may I help you?" she asked, her voice acid.

He clasped his hands together. "You told the Admiral about our little discussion. You broke our agreement."

Laura paled. _How the hell did he know?! _"I made him promise not to do anything. He wouldn't do anything," Laura said, as calmly as possible.

Baltar seemed a little convinced. "What makes you so sure I would believe you?"

"I swear it. He won't do anything because _I_ asked him not to."

"All right," he said. "If you are so convinced, I'll believe you. But let's say if he _does_ do something…"

Laura glared at him. "He won't."

Baltar seemed to falter but agreed to some extent and left hurriedly.

* * *

Anne's eyes burned with cold anger and pure hatred. "Why would Baltar choose to believe _her_?!" she spat as she paced her room.

"Don't worry, Anne," Leoben told her. "Adama isn't an idiot. He wouldn't attack Baltar although he very well could."

"That's not the point… I her to suffer!"

"She will, in time," was all Leoben said. "I promise…"

_To be continued…_


	13. A Ray Of Hope

Chapter 13

Laura screamed as she the Doral modal delivered a full charged strike to her face. _Not to the stomach please… _

"Just give us names and we'll stop," he said ever so calmly. He was greeted by her determined silence and gave her a punch to her stomach. _No! Not the stomach… _She gagged as she felt blood rise in her throat. "Isn't it easier to just give us any _one_ name than to suffer like this, sweet Laura…" he said and grabbed a fistful of her hair, preventing her from moving.

Laura _knew _that they would return. She had known it in her gut. And when her suspicions were confirmed, the rebellion was formed. Bill had jumped away, safely, she hoped. About the rebellion, she personally had no idea how Baltar and the cylons knew. Tigh and Zarek were always very careful. There had to be a spy or insider. It had to be _human _for the Centurions would definitely make too much noise and they would have known how to keep their voices down if they heard something.

Laura squeezed her eyes shut as the Doral model was about to hit her face again when another voice entered the cell.

"You won't get it out of her like this. Let me try."

Laura was thankful for a while until she wondered what the other cylon model would try to 'get it out of her'. She was lucky, she felt, to have not been subjected to _other _means of torture. However, as she opened her eyes, she saw Leoben's blue eyes gazing at her from across the small room. She swallowed the rising bile and relaxed a little.

"All right but she's a tough one," the Doral model spoke and let go of her hair. Laura felt her legs give way and slid onto the floor, leaning on the wall. Leoben walked over to her and started to speak, gently in manner.

"Are you all right?" he asked, bending down.

Laura stared back at him. "Am I all right? What do you think?" she said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Do I seem like I'm on cloud nine?"

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry." He pushed a few strands of hair from her face. She felt a chill run up her spine as his finger came into contact with her, wiping the blood from the corner of her lips. Then, he kissed her gently and she turned away, avoiding the contact. "Don't be afraid," he said softly.

_Gods help me, _she prayed, still not looking at him.

"They haven't exactly been treating you very well are they?"

Laura shot him a glare. He really did have a pension for stating the obvious.

"Don't worry," he repeated. "I'm not going to _assault _you."

This time, Laura looked him in the eye. "Y-You're not going to-"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to try to make you tell me things. I just want to talk to you."

"Talk to me?" she was surprised. "About what?"

He touched her wounds on her face in the most caring manner possible and sat on the floor in front of her. "I remember you airlocking me," he said.

"Well, I'm not sure it's a good memory."

He laughed softly. "I suppose. We have feelings, you know."

"You're machines," she simply stated.

"Sharon told me how it was like to love. Some of the modals did have memories of that feeling. We wanted to feel how it was like," he told her. He tipped her chin up. "You love the Admiral, don't you?"

Laura felt her eyes water and she had to look away. She hoped that Bill would return quickly for them all, assuming he was safe.

"Tell me how it's like, Laura."

"I don't know," she started to say. "I can't… It's too hard," the tears started to fall. he reached out and wiped her tears.

"Not all of us are like machines. Some of us are like Sharon," he informed her. "We want to feel."

Laura almost scoffed but felt her stomach lurch. Her abdomen was hurting too much to laugh. "It feels very good to love," she said slowly. "I think that's all I know how to describe it.."

"Tell me more please." He touched her cut lip. "I'll bring a doctor after this."

Laura couldn't deny that she was badly injured as much as she wanted to. She needed a doctor to look at her and mend her even though it was a cylon doctor doing so. "Uh… I don't know but when I'm with someone I love, I feel warm and nice," she said, not quite believing that came out of her mouth. She was never one to be all girly and soft. "And pray that he's safe and all right _all_ the time," she said, thinking of Bill.

A shadow appeared to hang over his features but came to pass before she could decipher what it meant. "I'll bring the doctor," he said, standing up and he left the cell.

_Bill, please come back , _she thought as she felt her broken body being lifted onto a stretcher.

* * *

Anne watched from behind the curtain as they removed her clothes and cleaned the woman's wounds. She was glad that she told Baltar about the rebellion. Laura had paid. She had suffered.

"She will get through this," Leoben said from behind her.

"I know," Anne replied. "But she has suffered," she mentioned.

The doctor attending to Laura seemed to stop for a while-what he was doing. He scribbled something onto his clipboard. "Bring me an ultrasound," he said, to no one in particular, although the medical aides knew what he wanted. "I think this woman is carrying a child," he said.

Anne almost ran into the room screaming with rage. _Laura Roslin was again pregnant with Bill's baby! _

"Don't do anything you might regret, Anne," Leoben's voice told her.

She looked and saw a cylon modal, one who was exactly like Leoben, by Laura's side. He was talking to the doctor in attendance. She felt hot tears stinging at the back of her eyes. "I thought I had that covered!" she muttered. "Damned woman!" She curled her fingers into balls of fists. _All right, _she thought. _I will be patient, _she told herself. But she doubted her own ability to stop her rage. Nevertheless, Baltar wouldn't want anything to happen yet.

Her purpose was to help Baltar.

Laura Roslin and her baby will have to wait.

_To be continued…_


	14. Another Baby

Chapter 14

"You've managed to hide the fact that you're with child well," Leoben said.

"I didn't hide it," Laura spat. "I didn't know," she lied.

_She pulled the sweater closer around her body as Baltar left her tent. She hated the man like she had never hated anyone before. She was relieved that Baltar decided to take her word that Bill wouldn't stage a military coup. _

_The thought of Bill alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She had not heard or seen him in two months. She hated that she was becoming dependent on him for strength. She'd always been an independent woman. It was amazing what a man could do to her independence. Every time she looked up, she wished that Bill was walking in with that smile on his face and that look in her eyes. Then they would make love all night and enjoy each other's embrace before he left the next morning, leaving her alone and cold again. _

_She struggled to get pass each day without crying. _

_Night came slowly as they always do when she had stacks of homework to grade. It was already dark outside when she had finished her work. The weather on New Caprica was as fickle as her mood. It was always echoing what Laura felt at the moment-a little warmer when she was happy, freezing when she was miserable and with blizzards when she was **very **miserable. _

_Or it could be all in her mind._

"_Laura?"_

_Definitely all in the mind. But it didn't hurt to look just in case…_

"_Laura?" came Bill's voice again. _

_In a matter of seconds, she was flying across the room and almost knocked him over when she reached him. _

"_Hey," he said, an amused smile playing on his lips as he hugged her. "I didn't know you missed me that much." _

"_Don't you dare-" she scolded. "Don't you dare **not **come and visit for such a long time again, William Adama!"_

"_I'm sorry, Baltar didn't really like me to come down here but I insisted," he explained._

_Her response came in the form of a kiss-she was straight to the point, that was for sure-and he kissed her back, hands at the small of her back. She felt so very good. Was it true? That absence makes the heart grow fonder? Yes it was, he decided. She tasted better, she smelled better, she looked so beautiful and she was right there in front of him. _

_Laura couldn't hold back. Two months were too long. She loved him with all the passion her heart could muster. The moment was bittersweet as she knew he would be gone again the next morning. She was right. _

_The schoolroom seemed a tad more crowded than usual and the air seemed heavy. She felt a little light-headed as she gave out homework assignments and suddenly, it was unbearable if she were to stay longer in the tent. _

"_Maya?" she called. _

"_Yeah?" _

"_Can you please watch them for a while? I-uh-need to get a little fresh air," she said. The collar of her sweater seemed tighter. _

"_Are you all right?" Maya asked, concern in her voice. _

"_Yeah. I'm fine. I just need to get some fresh air." _

"_Okay," the young woman said. _

_Laura welcomed the icy wind that slammed into her as she stepped out of the tent. It cooled her down and let her breathe. Just as she took a deep breath, she felt her stomach lurch and she half-ran half-stumble to a small bush behind the tent and emptied the contents of her stomach. _

_It had been a week now that she had been feeling this way. She knew that she would have to see Cottle to confirm her suspicions and went inside to tell Maya that she would be going out for a while. _

"How can you not know? I'm sure your body gave you signs," Leoben pushed.

Laura gave him silence and looked away. She had prayed that the cylons didn't find out about the baby. They could-would use it to make her talk. She was scared out of her wits that they would harm her child. Her stomach hadn't swelled very much yet. The bulky sweaters and loose clothes she wore hid her gentle bump well. Besides, most people might think that she had just put on weight, now that she was free of the stress and workload her previous job held for her.

"I thought I was going through menopause," she said, her mind working to find excuses.

"Ah…" Leoben said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Well, now you know so you'll have to take care of yourself. Doral almost harmed your baby when he hit your stomach."

"How can I take care of myself when you keep on beating me up?" Laura asked, the full blast of her glare aimed directly at him. He didn't flinch one bit.

"I'll make sure you're safe," he said.

Laura couldn't quite understand how a machine could sound so human. It unnerved her a little bit. But, she had to admit to herself, the Sharon onboard Galactica was so human that nobody noticed she was a cylon until it was too late. And the Sharon who was on Caprica was so human that she could love and bear a child. It didn't seem right.

* * *

Laura allowed herself to smile when she saw Kara waiting for her in front of the building. The young woman had always been there for her since the cylons came.

"Did they hurt you?" _Did they hurt the baby? _Kara and Cottle were the only ones who knew that she was pregnant. Maya seemed like she knew but never asked.

Laura nodded. "I thought I would never get out of there."

"Well, you did," Kara said.

"How is everything?"

"Fine, although Maya would be happy that she's not alone anymore."

Laura chuckled. "Poor girl. I hope the kids didn't give her too hard a time."

"The kids," Kara said. "They made you something."

"Really?"

"Wait and see…" Kara said, smiling cryptically.

The journey back to the schoolroom had been short. People turned to nod at Laura as she passed by and she always nodded back. As Laura entered the schoolroom, she was greeted by the apprehensive faces of her students. She smiled at them reassuringly.

"So… Kara here tells me that you've all made me something," she gently probed.

They seemed to relax a little bit. Maya smiled at them. "Go on," the younger teacher said.

Laura smiled at her ten-year-old students. "Yes, please. I would like to see it. May I?"

The smallest girl in the room brought out a brown paper-wrapped parcel and walked up to Laura. She was nervous and proud as well. The class had agreed that _she _would be the one to go to their beloved teacher and present her with their gift.

"You have something for me, Emily?" Laura feigned surprise and the little girl giggled.

"Yes, Miss Laura." The young girl held out the parcel to her.

"Thank you, Emily," she said.

"Open it!" the class said in perfect chorus, Maya included.

Laura chuckled softly unwrapped it. It seemed like a bundle of cloth. She was trying to make out what it was until David piped up. "It's a blanket, Miss Laura! Maya thought us how to sew!" Laura looked at it. The stitches did seem messy and child-like. Yet, she couldn't stop the tears that sprang to her eyes.

"Thank you so much," she said, voice husky with emotion. The blanket was entirely too small for her.

"It's for the baby!" Emily squeaked. "When it's born of course.." she said in an all-knowing manner.

Laura's jaw almost dropped before she managed to stop herself. _How did they know? _Her eyes widened in shock.

"Sorry, it slipped. But you got to admit, after they saw you throwing up almost every lesson, they asked. They're quite smart," Maya said.

_That explains it. Maya knew. _

"You did this yourselves?" Laura asked the students.

"Of course!" Peggy Sue quipped proudly. "We can't wait for the baby! It was me who figured it out! My mom always vomited when she was having my baby brother! And you were vomiting too. Then I asked Miss Maya and she told me. And I told the class that Miss Laura's having a baby."

"Well…" Laura said, at lost for words.

"Can we play with the baby when it's born?" Emily asked.

"Can we?" Peggy Sue joined in. In moments, the whole class was swarming around her.

"We promise we'll be careful…"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Who's the daddy? Babies have to have daddies…"

"Please Miss Laura…"

_To becontinued…_


	15. Returning

Chapter 15

"Laura…" she heard someone whisper her name. Her eyelids were too heavy and her body was aching. A sharp pain shot up her arm as she tried to pull herself into a sitting position. She felt strong arms help her up and she squinted in the dark to see who it was. The light from the door of the cell was enough only to silhouette him.

"Laura," he said again. This time, she recognized the voice. _Leoben._

"What?" she asked wearily. The cylons had taken her back to detention and they still tried to get her to talk. The torture wasn't as bad as the previous time but there _was _still torture. They avoided hitting her in her stomach and pushing her about. But they still punched and hit other parts of her body.

"The Galactica is here for your people," he said.

"_What?!_"

"I have no time to explain," Leoben said urgently. "Come with me. Are you strong enough?" he whispered, placing a hand on her swollen abdomen. She nodded.

"Where are we going?" Laura couldn't help but ask. If he was going to take her with him, she would most probably never return to the Fleet again. She would most probably never see Bill ever again. Her heart leaped to her throat as she thought of the possibilities.

His grip on her arm was strong but not strong enough to hurt her. He led her through the corridors of the detention centre, seemingly hiding.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked him again. Her feet were starting to ache.

"I'm taking you to your people."

Her brain failed to register his words for a moment but when she did, she was shocked. "Why?" she managed weakly.

"I'm not sure… I don't even know. But I remember telling you that I'll keep you safe. And-" he paused, searching for the right words. "Sharon is not the only one who can feel love."

Laura wanted to ask but decided against it, not knowing if she wanted to hear the answer. Her throat went dry as her mind processed his reason. _Sharon is not the only one who can feel love. _

"I was amazed at how strong you were. Even when we were torturing you," he continued as they went through what seemed to be miles and miles of corridors. "I couldn't understand you. I have memories of you airlocking me. Strangely, I feel no grudge against you for that."

"You don't?" Laura asked, surprise evident in her tone. _I air locked him and now, he's saving my life?_

"You were only protecting your Fleet. After all, we almost exterminated the entire human race," he said earnestly.

"True," she said, bitterness present. He kept silent after that.

There were no cylons in the detention centre as it seemed. According to Leoben, all of them had left when the Galactica had suddenly emerged from the atmosphere and launched Vipers. They made it outside. Laura gasped at the sight of chaos and pandemonium. _Bill had come back, _she thought. Shots were fired and she heard screams-plenty of them. She remembered Leoben telling her to run. She remembered that she couldn't keep up with him who wasn't human, who could go on forever and ever if he needed to.

"I can't-" she said, through gasps of air. Her chest was pounding and she felt as though she would faint.

"Come on! We're almost there!" he shouted. Yet she seemed as though she could not go on anymore.

Laura felt herself being carried by Leoben and welcomed not having to run anymore. He held her and ran through the chaos. She didn't know what to think of him. _Was he like Sharon? If he was, would Bill trust him?_ She didn't think so. _Did Leoben have a hidden agenda behind his rescue of her? _She saw the mass of people as they approached Colonial One.

"Laura!" she heard her named called out and looked around in crowd to find Kara rushing towards them. "Put her down, you frakking toaster!" Kara screamed at the top of her lungs, gun aimed at Leoben's head.

"Laura!" the younger woman shouted again.

"Put me down," Laura said gently to Leoben. Before she could do or say anything, Kara delivered a single shot to his head, making him collapse and Laura on top of him. The crowd was too busy to notice whatever that was happening around them. She sat up awkwardly.

"Are you all right?" Kara asked, helping her to stand.

Laura nodded. She shot a glance at the lifeless machine that had helped her. "He was helping me…" she said, letting her voice trail.

"Get on the raptor!" Kara said. "Go!"

Laura squeezed through the crowd and finally made it to flying machine. Then she allowed herself to feel the first waves of relief that came over her. _She was finally safe. Her baby was finally safe.

* * *

_

Bill was in the hangar deck monitoring operations and greeting the former crewmembers of Galactica. He was also there to see Laura, to greet her when she returned. _And to hug her and kiss her…_ He watched as each raptor was directed into the hangar bay and secured at the deck. He waited to see the glimpse of red hair and beautiful face. Then, finally, he recognized her form getting off a raptor that was just secured into the crowd of civilians. She seemed lost at first, looking around in random directions.

Then she laid eyes on him and a smile appeared. She started to make her way through the crowd towards him. She threw herself into his embrace just as soon as she reached him and he kissed the top of her hair over and over again. Only then did his brain register the meaning of the bump pressed against his body.

_The bump which was her stomach…_

"Laura…"

"You came back," she whispered, oblivious to the fact that the crowd around them was now watching them-the reunion of the _leaders_ of the Fleet. When people started to realize that Baltar was an useless idiot high on weed, they had resumed thinking of Laura as their leader. And now, their leaders were in an embrace, affection wasn't hidden at all.

"Laura," he said, reaching down to place a hand on her swollen belly. She responded by placing her hand on his, eyes smiling. The crowd noticed her belly and a chatter to erupted amongst them.

"Is it-" he started to ask.

"Yes," she said, reading his thoughts.

"Gods woman…" he said and caught her lips with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands on the small of her back. They devoured each other's mouth with passion that the young couldn't match. Slowly, the crowd in the hangar deck erupted into a cheer, applause evident.

"Marry me." Bill's expression became serious. The crowd quietened down in that second waiting for Laura's answer. She looked around and was met with the people's nodding and encouragement. Kara was standing at the side beside Lee and had a big grin on her face.

"Yes, Bill," she said finally.

"Yes?" He felt that he needed to confirm that it wasn't because of shock or surprise she agreed.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Gods.. Yes!"

Unspoken emotions showed in his eyes. The crowd started to cheer again.

"Then you are the most beautiful woman in universe!" he exclaimed. She squealed as Bill pulled her into a bear hug, lifting her off her feet and started twirling in the crowd, making them go wild with clapping and whistling. He held her high up and watched her with adoring eyes, her giggling matching his free laughter. They were happy and the crowd was happy for them. They were on Cloud Nine. And the crowd was on Cloud Nine with them. In that moment, they were the happiest they could ever have been.

When he finally put her down, she pressed herself against him and whispered into his ear. "I love you," she said ever so softly.

They were all too engrossed to notice the blonde woman in the corner, a look of disgust on her face-pure hatred in her eyes.

He brushed away a few stray strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes. "I love you too," he said. "More than you'll ever know."

Other raptors were beginning to come in when the moment ended. Bill glanced at Lee who smiled back at him. "Don't worry. I'll take care of things here. You two have a lot of catching up to do." He flashed a dazzling smile. "And welcome to the family, Laura."

She beamed. Bill took her hand and led her out of the hangar deck. They walked in silence, enjoying each other's company until they reached his quarters and stepped inside. He noticed that she walked slowly and she didn't move her left arm as she walked.

He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and went to pour them drinks-his, ambrosia while hers, water. She groaned as he gave her the glass of colourless fluid and sat beside her. "Getting protective are you?"

"Most definitely. If not, I would have ravished you the moment I closed the hatch."

She chuckled.

"Why are you injured?" he asked, eyes piercing into her soul.

Memories of her tormenters returned. She closed her eyes and willed them away. "I-uh-was sent to detention."

"Gods Laura… I'm sorry."

"No, Bill. Don't apologize. Let's not talk about it." Her eyes were pleading with him. _Please let this go, Bill…_

"Have you seen Cottle?"

"No. I-no. Not yet," she said. "When you came back, I was in detention. Leoben, he brought me to the raptors. He _saved _me," she told him.

"Leoben?"

She nodded. "He said Sharon wasn't the only one who could love…" she said, looking at her hands. "He carried me when I couldn't run anymore. Then Kara shot him. _Why_ am I feeling _bad_ for him?" she looked up at him. "He's a cylon."

"Don't worry. You're feeling bad because you're a good person and I know that," he comforted her and pulled her to him. She leaned on his shoulder.

"Forget about it," she said. "I'll be all right,"

He looked at her, enjoying her appearance. His gaze dropped to her abdomen and a surge of pride filled his senses. He let his hand move towards her and stroked her belly. She was so beautiful and she seemed to be emitting a glow so earthly and pure.

"I never thought that I would _ever_ get married." She turned to look at him.

"I never thought that I would be married to you. We got off from a bad start."

She threw her head back and chuckled. "Yeah, we did, didn't we?" But it was all right now. They were together and that was all that mattered.

_To be continued…_


	16. Hormones and Threats

Chapter 16

The Fleet had begun to settle down as Laura began to resume her duties as President of the Twelve Colonies. She had begun to trust Zarek a tiny bit more since he had stepped down so that she could be President. New Caprica changed people, Bill thought. But he was extremely glad it did not change Laura. They had both agreed to wait until the Fleet got organized before they were to get married. It didn't really matter anyway for the whole Fleet already knew about the President and the Admiral being a couple. It was quite liberating for them both since they needn't hide their feelings anymore. But they still had certain responsibilities and Bill wondered when it would be until their next disagreement would rear its ugly head.

Laura was annoyed at first about how everybody including Tory was treating her. It was as though she would collapse if she carried a few files. But she soon found it quite in her favour as she began to grow bigger, finding it tiresome to just stand for more than a few minutes. Laura's waist had slowly begun to expand, her tummy bulging more and more than it had already bulged. Tory had found her bigger blouses to wear to meetings and had her skirts altered so that it would be expandable. Laura still wore her jackets to complete the attire but buttoning it up was _out_ of the question obviously. But she thanked Gods that despite being weeks from going into labour, she wasn't _that _large. Cottle had explained that it was mainly because it was her first pregnancy. And _only _pregnancy according to his stern tone, as though he was lecturing a teenager. She grinned at him almost guiltily as he thrust a pack of condoms into her hands and told her to make sure Bill used it during their 'activities'. Of course those 'activities' were not advisable during the course of her pregnancy since she was almost due and contractions of muscles _might_ trigger of an early labour. She didn't need to ask _what_ contractions of muscles as Cottle explained. In fact, she turned bright red as he went into detail of what positions she and Bill were to assume should those 'activities' occur.

"You should try to avoid positions which might be too vigorous for you," Cottle said, serious as ever.

"Yes, doctor," she said, almost meekly. _I cannot believe we are having this conversation, _she thought.

"Make sure he wears those things," he continued. "After the birth of course. We wouldn't want you to get yourself knocked up again, would we?" he said, looking at the pack in her hands.

"No," she said, shaking her head, like one of her own little students, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Good. Off you go, young lady. I have other patients," he said.

She stood up awkwardly and left his office.

One of the cons of expecting a child was the constant need to go to the head. Morning sickness had long abandoned her but was replaced by the pressure on her bladder. It was a plot against her, she was sure of it. _How did one throw up so many times a day? _was replaced by _How did one pee so many times a day? _

Laura shrugged the thought off. It was unnerving when your mind seemed to have a life on its own. _It must be those damned hormones. Cottle did mention hormones right? _She wasn't even paying any attention when Tory was briefing her about the tour she was scheduled to go for on the Zephyr. Bill didn't like her taking tours, _that_ she knew. But she needed the public's support. And she'd promised him that it would be the last one until after the baby was born.

* * *

The Zephyr was crowded. But not too overtly crowded like she had feared. The people were very kind there despite her frequent trips to the head. Patient too when they seemed to have lost her attention. They were understanding that their President was expectant and _hormonal. Very_ hormonal despite her attempts to smile all the time. By the end of the day, she was tired, moody and longed to go back to the Galactica. Cottle insisted that she stayed on board Galactica in case she went into labour early.

Just as she was about to leave with her bodyguards, a young girl approached her.

_Damned! _Laura forced herself to smile. "How may I help you?" she asked, trying her best to keep the irritation from her voice.

"Ma'am," the young girl started. She was not much older than fifteen. "A woman asked me to tell you that she wanted to see you."

"Why won't she come here to see me herself?" Laura asked again. _Help me_, Laura's eyes said to her aid.

Tory understood immediately. "I'm afraid the President is very tired."

"She said it was important," the young girl said. "She said she knew where Anne was?" she said, more hesitantly.

"I'm sure the President would like to stay but-"

"Anne?!" Laura gasped. She needed to know. She wanted to find the woman who made her life so miserable before this. She wanted to kill her with her bare hands. "Tell me!" Tory stared at her, confused.

"I-I don't know but she said to tell you _she _knew where Anne was…" The girl was terrified that she had upset the President.

"Take me to her," Laura said, having mastered some control. Before Tory could alert the bodyguards to follow her, all she saw was Laura's back moving into the crowds.

A million thoughts were swimming around in Laura's head as she followed the girl. "She's there," the girl said.

"Thank you," Laura whispered as the girl ran off. She started to walk towards the woman whose back was facing her. She turned around to realize that people were already moving back to their previous activities they were at before she'd arrived on the ship. The woman seemed to sense her approaching and spun around, face to face, eye to eye, Laura looked into the eyes of the woman she most hated.

She felt the air leave her lungs.

"Surprised?" Anne asked in a mocking tone.

"_You!_"

She laughed. "Yes, me. My, my, my, look at yourself. Couldn't keep your hands off _my _husband, could you?" she raised an eyebrow. "Cheap whore!" she spat.

"He loves me,' Laura replied in the same spiteful tone Anne had used. She quickly turned around to see Tory and her bodyguards approaching them. _Yes! _Now, Anne would never get away. She turned back when she felt something cold pressed against her swollen belly.

The blonde woman was holding a handgun, muzzle pressed against her stomach. She was standing so very close that nobody noticed what was going on. Laura stiffened at the thought. _Her baby! _If Anne killed her, her baby would be killed as well.

"Come with me," Anne said, pressing the metal object harder into her.

Laura looked around to see her bodyguards moving faster. Tory wore a suspicious look on her face. _Yes, please hurry up! _

"Hey!" one of her bodyguards called out. "Madam President! Stop!"

She felt Anne increase the pressure and decided not to risk it. She followed Anne and they ended up in the head.

"Hey!" she heard Tory's voice as Anne slammed the door shut and turned the lock.

They were alone in the head now and Anne shoved her, causing her to stagger backwards. Laura heard Tory pounding her fists on the door. "Ma'am?! Are you all right?!"

"I have a gun aimed at the President!" Anne yelled. "If anyone tries to get in, I will take a shot at her! I promise you that!"

"Madam President!" Tory's voice came again.

"She's telling the truth!" Laura yelled. Then silence came from behind the door.

"Good, now that you pesky aide has left you alone," Anne said closing in on Laura.

Laura felt her head pounding and heart beating. She was terrified. She knew that there was no possibility of Anne ever letting her go unharmed. She was convinced that Anne was going to shoot her in the head anyway. All Bill's wife wanted was to harm her and her baby. She had succeeded the _first_ time.

Bill was surely going to flush her out of the airlock whether she killed her or not. So if she was thinking properly, she would most probably kill her. _Lords of Kobol, please don't let her be thinking properly, _Laura prayed.

"We can talk," Anne said.

"Talk?" Laura asked. She had to stall. It was only a matter of time before Anne decided to pull the trigger.

"Yes. So… I see that you've gotten yourself pregnant _again_," Anne said, gun still pointing at Laura.

Laura stayed silent.

"Why couldn't you have left him alone?" Anne continued. "After you found out that _I _was back, you could've been the dignified one. Step aside. But no. You had to be the husband snatcher. Did you know that he loved _me _on Caprica? He loved me a lot. You stole it away from me!" Her voice rose to a shriek.

Laura looked at her more intently, still not knowing what to say.

"I loved him. I still do."

"If you hadn't taken my first baby, Bill would've been still with you," Laura finally said. "He wasn't going to leave you and because of that, I was the one who was going to break it off with him."

"No! Don't lie to me. You're a cheap whore who deserves to die! I'm glad I told Baltar about the Resistance! I was enjoying every moment you were being tortured!"

_It was her! Damned woman! _Laura hoped that by now, Bill would've heard of her situation. He would save her. He would save them, her and the baby.

"I was. I was even considering abortion." Laura stood motionless as Anne started walking towards her.

"DON"T LIE TO ME!" Anne let out a piercing scream. "DON"T PATRONIZE ME!"

And a single gunshot was heard throughout the hushed silence of the Zephyr.

_To be continued…_


	17. Finally

Chapter 17

Laura closed her eyes and allowed a scream to escape her lips as she heard the gunshot ring. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at Anne, face to face.

"Don't patronize me, damned schoolteacher," she said, calmly and walked away from her. It was only then Laura realized that the bullet Anne had fired wasn't aimed to kill her but to scare her. To terrify her. It had hit one of the pipes underneath the sinks and water leaked little by little. The bullet had grazed Laura's arm and she was bleeding-not profusely-but enough to stain her white blouse. "Did you all hear that?!" she yelled to the door. "Tell Admiral Adama to come here _now_, or I will put a bullet through the President's head!"

Finally, Laura heard Tory's voice through the door. "The Admiral has been contacted! He is on his way! Please don't _hurt _the President! Is she all right?!"

"I'm fine!" Laura yelled.

Anne chuckled. "No, of course not. I won't hurt her. We'll wait for him. And _then, _I'll make him listen to his lover die!"

Laura clutched at her arm with trembling a trembling hand. By this time, her feet were already strained with the weight it had to support. Yet, she struggled to stay upright, trying not to provoke the blonde woman.

"Bill will be here soon," Anne said, thoughtfully. "But he would be foolish to think he can save you. I would be dead as soon as I step out of this door even if I killed you or let you live. So what would I do?" she asked herself and pretended to think for a while. She looked up at the ceiling of the head. "You should know the answer if you're a smart woman."

Laura swallowed. _Yes, she knew what the answer would be. _

"Answer me!"

"You would-you would kill me," Laura stammered. _I should have listened to Bill about not touring. I should have listened to him. He knew what was best. This is my fault. No, this is not my fault. This is Bill's fault for not believing me in the first place and giving her the chance to escape. What am I thinking?! Focus Laura! Focus! _

"That's right. I would like to see Bill's face when he sees you lying there motionless, pale and _dead_."

Laura stared at her. Then she felt a little pain in her abdomen. _Not now…_ She was relieved when the ebbing pain was replaced by none.

"I just want to talk to him. I want him to hear you die. I will wait until he is right behind that door and then I would tell him that I'm pointing a gun at you and then… BANG!"

Laura flinched as Anne raised her voice.

Anne started to shriek with laughter like a mad woman one might come across in the streets of the lower class area of Caprica. She laughed hard and loud, eyes tearing with insane joy at one's suffering. Laura inched away a little bit as though distance might offer her protection. Anne continued to howl with laughter waving the firearm midair. Finally, she quietened down and resumed her serious façade.

"You're afraid, aren't you?"

"Yes," Laura managed weakly. _Bill please hurry up…_

"We'll wait for Bill… Is the Admiral there?!" she yelled.

Silence.

"Well then, we'll have to wait some more."

* * *

Bill practically ran all the way to the waiting Raptor and the moment the Raptor arrived at the Zephyr, he ran to the head that Laura was held hostage. Tory had placed an emergency call to the Galactica and Bill felt his heart leap into his throat when he Tory's rushed voice through the comm. _Laura was in danger. Anne was back to harm the love of his life and their unborn child. _The mere thought of being without Laura caused him to become sick. The mere thought of losing their child was enough to make his head spin.

He raced to the form of Tory and the bodyguards, marines trailing behind him.

"She's in there," Tory told him, worry on her face.

"Laura?!" he called out.

"You're finally here. Bill. It's good to see you too," came Anne's cool icy voice.

Bill knew well enough to not yell at Anne or do anything that might provoke her to do something drastic.

"Can we discuss this like civilised people?" Bill tried.

"Unfortunately not." Bill heard Anne walking towards the door. "I just wanted you to come here so I can ask you why you chose her over me."

Bill kept silent.

"Tell me!"

"I love her," he offered. _Please let Laura be all right. _

Anne stood facing her with the gun pointed at her. Laura felt as though her legs would give way. She was going to die. No matter what Bill did or say, Anne would pull the trigger soon.

"Ah!" Laura felt a strange sensation in her abdomen before a twinge caused her to gasp. Anne looked at her and then between her legs where fluid was running down her legs. Her water had burst and she felt some minor pain in her belly. _Gods… They really did have bad timing. From her cancer to the arrival of the baby._

"I forgot, Bill," Anne started to say. "Laura is having the baby _now!_" she said in mock delight.

"Laura!" she heard Bill's voice come through the door. "Are you okay?!"

"I think-I-the water just burst-ah!" she winced as a sharp contraction pulled and her legs gave way.

"Aren't you happy? You're going to be a father!" Anne cried.

Laura was on her knees, one hand on the floor to support herself while the other holding her stomach. The contractions where coming fast and painful. _Was it supposed to come that fast? And that painful?_ "Gods.."

Anne's gun aimed squarely at her. "But she won't live to deliver the baby, Bill! Count from ten!" she shouted. "Ten…nine…eight…seven…"

"Don't please…" Laura resorted to begging. "Please!" she cried. _Lords of Kobol, please help me!_

"Six…" Anne narrowed her eyes, joy dancing around her face.

"Anne, don't do it!" Bill shouted. "DON"T DO IT!"

"Five… Four…"

Laura squeezed her eyes shut. Her internal thoughts clouding her hearing. She couldn't see or hear anything. She remembered Bill's face, Billy's face, Starbuck, Lee, Tory, Maya… Everything flashed so fast. This was it. This was her last moment. She was going to die. She continued counting in her head until the would be shot. _Three… two… one…_

Nothing.

She opened her eyes to see Anne standing in front of her, gun still aimed at her. She wore the funniest expression on her face and collapsed in front of her, eyes open and empty, staring into nothingness. Bill was behind her, his own firearm in front of him. It was so close. Too close. She looked at the knocked down door and back at Bill. The crowd was silent.

_It was over. Anne was dead. Gone._

Bill immediately rushed to her side. "Gods.. Laura," he said, holding her shoulders.

"Bill, the baby is coming," she said weakly. Her face was covered with sweat, blood had drained from her face. She was pale and struggling to control her breathing. She winced as another contraction pulled. He easily scooped her up and made his way out of the head, not even turning once to look at the dead woman on the floor.

Laura clutched at his uniform and breathed raggedly into his shoulder. He carried her all the way to the waiting Raptor.

The pilot was trembling and nervous as he shot a glance at the Admiral and the President who was in obvious pain. Laura felt as though the trip back to the Galactica was years long, with Tory occasionally wiping her perspiration away. Bill had insisted that Cottle was the best. He only trusted his Major back on the Galactica. Besides, he was Laura's doctor. The moment the Raptor was secured at the hangar, Bill raced towards Life Station with Laura in his arms.

Cottle as it turned out, had not been watching what was going on or keeping track. So he was righteously pissed and annoyed that Bill had come rushing in with his Presidential patient in labour. Laura groaned as another sharp pain tore through her abdomen.

"Get her out of those clothes," Cottle instructed to a medical aide. Bill reluctantly put Laura down onto the gurney that was wheeled to him and watched as she was wheeled away. "You can go with her," Cottle remarked and smirked as Bill scrambled off.

* * *

Bill felt as though his fingers where getting crushed as Laura held onto him. Each contraction caused her to reach out for him and squeeze his fingers. She hated him. She would love him back after this but now, she hated him.

Cottle finally decided to make an appearance and proceeded to check the width of her cervix. "Oh, nine centimetres. Good."

"Is she all right?" Bill asked.

"Oh she's doing magnificent. Aren't you, young lady?"

Laura's reply came in the form of a groan and she snapped at him. "Can't I do this now?"

"We'll wait a while," Cottle said and left.

Laura felt as though her body would break as a contraction made itself scarce only to be replaced by another stronger one. "I hate you, Bill!" she growled.

"I love you, too," he said, caressing her cheek.

The same scene replayed itself for the next few minute-hours, it seemed to Laura-until Cottle finally appeared again. "Ready?"

"For what?" she snapped.

"To push."

She groaned again. Bill was surprised at how _strong _Laura's grip was but wished that her strength was only confined to her will power. Cottle instructed Ishay and another aid to hold her legs wide open, their grips like iron chains, as she lay propped by pillows at her back. She couldn't find herself in a more awkward position than this, she thought.

Pushing was better that sitting back and relaxing, Laura thought. After the first few pushes, she was certain she was at the point of complete exhaustion and yet, the baby's head was not visible. Bill seemed so be wearing out as well but she would be damned if she would let him leave. If she had to go through this, she would make sure he had to either because he _did_, as a matter of fact, helped in the making of the _thing_ that was most certainly going to tear her into half.

Cottle was more optimistic, assuring her that she was 'almost there' when she knew she was far from there. Bill was saying encouraging things to her but she was not paying him any attention. Two hours later, the baby's head was finally crowning and Laura was on the verge of breaking down, _again._

"It burns!" she screamed.

"It's normal, Laura," Cottle said. "Just a little bit more!"

"Oh gods oh gods oh gods…" she muttered through clenched teeth as the baby's head crowned.

"Almost there Laura," Bill said. "Almost there…"

The shoulders seemed to be the hardest part but she gave all she could, occasionally screaming out in agony. But once the shoulders slid free, the whole baby followed easily. Laura slumped back on the pillows in exhaustion as she watched Cottle cut and bound the cord, handing the baby to Ishay to be weighed.

"Just push a little bit more. We need to get the placenta out," Cottle said.

Laura did as she was told and soon, she finished the job. Bill slid his arms around her to help her sit up properly. She was watching Ishay go about with her job and was glad when she finally came to her and placed the bundled baby in her arms. She looked into the tiny baby's face and at Bill who was right beside her. She couldn't say anything but gaze into the infant's face, the small nose, those blue eyes, dark hair but peaches and cream skin. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, so small and precious.

"Seven pounds, six ounces. And it's a girl," Cottle said, smirking.

Bill kissed her forehead. "You should rest."

She was hesitant at first but she really was exhausted and since Anne was no longer a threat, she could rest, as long as she wanted. "All right," she said, slowly. "I'm sorry if I crushed your fingers," she offered meekly.

"Right…" he said, smiling at her. Only the Gods knew how much he loved her.

"Do we have to get married so soon?" she asked.

"No… Not if you don't want to."

"No, it's not that I don't want to-I just-I want to focus on being happy first." Laura looked up at him and then let her gaze fall back to her precious child.

"Anything to make you happy." He smiled at her.

She was relieved that he wasn't upset. So much was happening at the same time and she didn't know if she could cope. "Have you been thinking of names?"

"Have you?" he returned her question. He had, actually, but he wanted to know what her choices were, if there was any.

"I was thinking Shaunie?" she asked, seeking his approval. He seemed quiet for a while. "If-if you think it's too plain, we don't have to use it," she offered.

"No, I don't. I like it."

"Really? Well, my name has always been plain and well, you know…"

"Your name is not plain. I happen to think your name is beautiful."

Laura blushed at his comment-the first hint of colour that showed in her cheeks. "Thank you."

Bill smiled smugly at himself. He loved to make her smile since it was so rare that she smiled genuinely in public, he wanted to make sure that she was happy in private. "So… Shaunie Adama? I love it."

Laura raised an eyebrow, leaning in to kiss him. "But as for me, I'll be Laura Roslin-Adama."

"I don't mind." He touched the baby's cheek. "As long as you're with me."

She leaned into him as he pulled her closer, brand new Shaunie Adama cradled in her mother's arms. The baby made small soft sounds that both her parents could sit and listen to all day. She extended a tiny fist to her mother and smiled as Laura took it in between her thumb and index finger.

"You're really something aren't you," Laura cooed at the infant.

Shaunie smiled as though she understood what her mother was saying. Perhaps she understood, by _feeling _what her mother was saying.

Sometimes, feeling was all that was needed to understand.

The End


End file.
